Revenge of the Abandoned
by Disturbedvixen
Summary: Kurama's alleged sister has been searching for him for over a hundred years...then why did she send a water apparition to find Kurama, bring him home, and kill him? FLAMES ARE ACCEPTED! {COMPLETE!}
1. Prologue

I don't own YuYu Hakusho! But I own the characters that aren't on the show.  
  
MY first fanfic!  
  
Prologue  
  
A beatiful woman with long black hair and round, piercing hazel eyes sat in a chair in a large chamber grumbling to herself.  
"Why can't I find my cowardly brother?" she growled. The kitsune ears on her head twitched, picking up the footsteps of someone coming. A knock was heard on the chamber door.  
"Come in," snapped the woman. The door opend and a female fire demon with silver hair, blue eyes and pale skin entered.  
"What do you want, Seyumi, and why are you in human form?!"  
The girl sighed with exasperation and answered. "You sent me to see if I can find your brother. To do that in public, I have to be a human."  
"Well, change into your usual form. Humans are so ugly."  
Seyumi pushed a small amount of Spirit Energy beyond her limits. Instantly her silver hair turned the clear blue of an ocean. Her eyes darkened.  
"Tell me again why you look like a water appartition when you'e a fire demon," the woman said.  
Seyumi narrowed her eyes. "Because, Jirime, my mother was a water apparition and my father is a fire demon. My father's genes are dominant so I have his powers but I have my mother's looks.  
"Mm. . ."Jirime muttered distractedly. "Have you found Kurama?"  
"No."  
Jirime groaned in anger. "Where's Kurama?! The coward can't be that far away!"  
Seyumi threw her hair over her shoulder, making it sparkle like ocean waves in the dim light. Her now night blue eyes looked at Jirime with sarcasm etched in everyone of her beautiful features. "Why can't you throw some pixie dust in the air and ask to see Kurama?"  
Jirime opend her mouth to snap at Seyumi but she suddenly remember something. "Why didn't I think of that?!" She pulled a drawstring bag out from under her chair. The bag was full of powdered roots.  
Jirime got a handful of it and blew it into the air. "Show me my Kurama!"  
The powder turned into a screen showing Youko Kurama fighting in the Dark Tournament.  
Jirime smiled. "Still my adorable baby bro. Now show me where he is."  
A big question mark appeared. Jirime scowled. "Darn! Back to square on. . ."  
Seyumi stepped forward. "Show me the location of Kurama's human form," she commanded.  
It showed Kurama in school with a few humans around 17.  
Jirime jumped up. "Why didn't I think of that?! Kurama is disguised as a human of around seventeen or eighteen. He's going to a human school?! Seyumi, you're going to go to his school and ou'll lure him here. I must have him here! I've got to kill him for abandoning me! You human name is. . .uh. . .I dunno, make up one but I'm giving you two months to bring him here. If you can't do that your brother dies."  
Jirime threw some more powder in the air. "There, now he'll have nightmare-ish visions. So will all of his pathetic friends! HA HA! Now I've got him where I want him!" She ran out of the room laughing.  
Seyumi looked at the rapidly fading picture of Kurama. "I'm not going to let you die, Toshi. . .but I don't want this Kurama person to die either. I don't blame him for abandoning her. I would too if you didn't need her stupid herbs to stay alive. But I'm her slave. . .I have no choice. I have to get Kurama so she'll let me go with you cured," she muttered. "If she didn't lock away that half of my Spirit Energy, I'd kill her, but I can't. . ."  
Seyumi knelt on the stone floor and wept.  
  
Please please please review! Tell me what I'm doing wrong. Flames R excepted! 


	2. Azura

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I own the characters you never heard of. Too bad I can't own Kurama or Hiei .  
  
To remind you, flames are accepted because sometimes the worse reviews can help. Don't ask, I'm a weirdo.  
Anywayz, on this, Kurama is a teenager of around 17. He's going to Sarayashiki High School. (Note that Yusuke goes to Sarayashiki Jr. High)  
  
Chapter one: Azura  
  
There's pain.too much pain and blood to seem real. He tries to fight back but it's useless. The strange Spirit Energy pushes him onto his side. Blood fills the inside of his mouth and trickles from the corners.  
Darkness envelops him, putting him unconscious. The darkness is merciful. It's a refuge from the excruciating pain. Maybe this was how it felt to die. It's not so bad if it eases pain.  
  
Kurama sat up with wide eyes, looking around. He was in his room at his desk that had schoolbooks, paper and pencils strewn all over it. When he moved to tidy up his desk, he realized that he was drenched with sweat.  
"I know I didn't doze off.it must have been a vision," Kurama thought out loud. He pushed his sweaty bangs away from his face. "But it can't have been a vision.I hadn't had one in over a hundred years. On the other hand, it couldn't have been a dream because I've had so much on my mind lately and that keeps me from sleeping."  
He moaned in frustration and laid his head on his folded arms. There was too much going on in his mind with everything that happened in the past year. "Why must I always try to make sense of everything?!"  
Shiori Minamino, Kurama's human mother, noticed the lamp on her son's desk was still turned on. Poor thing; Suiichi must have fallen asleep, she thought with love for her son. She reached out to turn off the lamp but noticed that Kurama was muttering something. She touched his shoulder. "Suiichi?"  
Kurama jumped out of his chair and turned, ready to attack. He found himself face-to-face with Shiori.  
"My goodness, Suiichi! What's the matter?! And why.why are you so clammy?" Shiori exclaimed. He felt his forehead. "Are you feeling ill? I've never known you to fall asleep when you're studying."  
Kurama stood patiently, listening to Shiori ramble on about him need to get a full 8 hours of sleep rather than 8 minutes. Like always, he felt guilty because he couldn't tell her everything he wanted.  
When Shiori was through, Kurama smiled down at her. "I'm not ill. There's just been too much on my mind. That's why I haven't been able to get much sleep. I'm sorry I jumped like that; I'm just exhausted from studying."  
"It's alright. I won't force you to tell me what's been bothering you, but if you feel like talking, let me know," Shiori replied. She started out the door. As she neared the door, she turned. "Oh, and please change out of those clothes, you'll catch a cold."  
"Yes, Mother."  
"I'll be in my room if you need me."  
Kurama changed out of his uniform and into some khakis and a black shirt. He knew he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Eleven-thirty. He was supposed to meet Hiei at Midnight to ask him something.  
He walked into his mother's room. Shiori was reading a book. He knocked on the open door.  
"Yes? What is it dear?" Shiori asked.  
"I'm going out to get some fresh air. I should be back in an hour or so," Kurama said.  
Shiori sighed. "Okay, but watch out for strange people. And wear a jacket, it'll be cold."  
Kurama nodded and grabbed a jacket off of his bed. He sighed inwardly at how protective Shiori was of him. It seemed that he was still a child to her at times. He laughed at the thought of him being three hundred years-old and counting but was still treated as an eight-year-old. He left the house, ignoring the women that called to him asking his name.  
As he turned a corner to go to the winding trail into the Dark Forest, he ran into someone, knocking the person down.  
"I'm so sorry, let me help you up," Kurama said quickly. He grabbed the person's hand and pulled him or her into the lamplight.  
"Yukina?" Kurama asked, surprised.  
"Kurama?!" It was Yukina Kurama had run into. She blushed furiously as she picked up her purse. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to run into you. I was in a hurry."  
"Why are you in a hurry?  
"Long story."  
Kurama looked at what Yukina was wearing: a skirt and a t-shirt. It showed more of her small figure than the kimono did.  
"I'd never thought to have seen you in human clothes," he exclaimed.  
Yukina blushed again and looked at her feet. "I know I look ridiculous, but Botan suggested that I go explore around the shops at night."  
"She did? Why? It's so much more dangerous at night. It's not easy to see a murderer in the pitch black."  
"Not to partake in human activities! I'm looking for Hiei."  
"Hiei?"  
"Yes; Hiei. I just get this weird feeling that he's always watching over me. I've been in search of my brother and he matches what everyone's told me. I was going to ask who his parents were so I'd know for sure."  
Kurama's heart thudded. He was going to see Hiei for almost the exact same reason. What a strange coincidence!  
Yukina shrugged. "I hope he's my brother. He's the perfect image of a big brother to me! Tough, hardheaded and protective. Oh well, I'll see you Kurama. I've got to meet Botan."  
"By," Kurama said, watching Yukina run off. He laughed. "Those two are nothing alike." He hurried to the big oak tree that he was supposed to meet Hiei at.  
  
It was a cold and windy night. The temperature was rapidly falling. From the town half a mile down the trail, the clock tower chimed twelve times, signaling that it was midnight.  
Kurama leaned against the ancient oak tree waiting for Hiei. "Hiei's going to be late," Kurama said softly. He closed his eyes, enjoying the night breeze that lifted his bangs.  
  
The merciful darkness fades, bringing back the excruciating pain. His clothes are soaked with blood but there's too much of it. It can't be mine, he thinks weakly. I'd have died from the loss of that much blood.so who else is being tortured?  
While looking around, he hears the tortured cry of the girl he came to fall in love with. She's human. She can't possible have the will or Spirit Energy to do anything but cry, he thinks again. He tries to push himself up and go to her. The wound that had begun to heat tears open, allowing fresh blood to flow out.  
"Help me.where are you.?" the girl mutters.  
"I'm sorry.I can't do a thing," he whispers. He collapses again, wishing for the darkness to take them both.  
  
"Kurama?! KURAMA!"  
  
Kurama opened his eyes and saw Hiei's face over him. "H-hiei? What time is it?"  
"I don't know. Not much past midnight. What does it matter? Get up!" Hiei snapped. "Or sit up at the least."  
Kurama sat up and leaned against the tree. "How did I get on the ground?" he asked.  
"How am I supposed to know? I came over here and say you lying on the ground muttering 'I'm sorry; I can't do a thing. Why can't I move? Why am I so weak?' I woke up - so I thought - and you had this vague look in your eyes. You started muttering that you were sorry for not trying to stop - something, ahead of time. Then I called your name and you asked what time it was." Hiei's sharp look at him suddenly softened. "You are okay, aren't you?"  
"I honestly don't know," Kurama answered in a shaky voice.  
"What couldn't you stop and who were you saying that you were sorry to?"  
"I told you! I don't know!" Kurama yelled.  
"Hn!" Hiei stood and tuned away. "You don't have to act all uptight because I woke you from your beauty sleep."  
"I wasn't sleeping."  
"Oh, so I should just presume that you were relaxing while waiting for me?"  
  
"Very funny, Hiei. You know I don't sleep with something on my mind -- "  
"You mean important to you and worthless to me."  
"That's beside the point."  
"Then what was it? A vision?"  
"It had to be. There's no other explanation."  
Hiei turned to Kurama and stood with crossed arms. "Hn! A vision. What was in this vision?"  
"I'll tell you at another time." Kurama stood up but his legs couldn't hold him. He fell onto his knees.  
"Geez, Kurama. You should have told me you were sick," Hiei said.  
"I'm not sick. The visions have been affecting me in a bad way. After I wake up from one, I'm sweating and weak as if I've been fighting for several hours," Kurama murmured. "I feel so exhausted." Kurama began swaying and he collapsed.  
"Kurama!" Hiei called. He shook Kurama but Kurama was limp in his hands.  
  
A girl with sliver hair appeared, panting. Hiei dropped Kurama gently and faced the girl. "Where'd you come from?" he demanded.  
"I ran all the way from Karasu Mori without stopping," the girl said.  
Hiei looked at her with surprise. "The forest with all the crows? That's three towns away!"  
The girl continued to stare at Kurama, trying to catch her breath. "I know that."  
"And you're just a human!" Hiei said astonished. "Who are you?"  
The girl finally looked at Hiei and her lips parted slightly. Oh.he's one of my kind! She thought excitedly. "Just call me Azura. What's your name?" she asked outloud.  
"I'm Hiei."  
Azura looked down at Kurama's limp body. Oh no. It's already started. She kneeled by him and touched his cheek. "He's having another vision. I can't do anything until he wakes up."  
Hiei narrowed his eyes. "Leave him alone or I'll kill you."  
Azura didn't hear him. She was listening to the words Kurama was whispering: "I don't know you! Please let us go."  
At the last second she sensed Hiei's katana swing down on her. Azura quickly pulled a knife out of its sheath and brought if up to block Hiei's blow.  
Hiei's were wide. He smiled. "Your speed almost matches mine. Not bad for a human. Care for a friendly match?"  
Azura shrugged and stood. "Okay." She was eager to see how well matched she was against her own kind.  
Hiei twirled his katana and caught it by the handle. "Azura, I'm only going to use my katana. You can use anything you want." Azura nodded. "I'll use only my knife and Spirit Energy."  
Hiei smiled. "Aw. You're making it too easy on me!" he said. But inside he gave her credit for facing him. Every since Yusuke Uremeshi beat him, Hiei vowed never to lose to another human.  
  
Tsuzuku  
  
That ends chapter one. For some reason, I managed to have my prologue on chapter one and my real chapter one is chapter two for the label. oh well, you have to ignore that fact. This is my first fanfic. Hopefully I'll get better! Please review! 


	3. Blossoming Love of a Fire Demon

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH but I own Seyumi, Azura, Jirime and anyone else you don't know of from YYH. I would love to own either Hiei or Kurama, but * sigh * we can't all get who or what we want, now can we? ^o^  
  
Flames are accepted and I want tons of people to review this cruddy story!  
  
CHAPTER TWO:  
  
"Don't feel discouraged if you lose," Hiei said. Azura said nothing. Her big, solemn blue eyes studied him curiously. Hiei's sarcastic smile faded as he felt himself soften inside under her gaze.  
Come on, Hiei! Come off of it. You can't possibly fall in love with a human! Hiei thought to himself. But you already have.see how soft you have become by her just looking at you! a nasty voice in his head said, laughing.  
It's not like I can exactly help that. She's stubborn but doesn't whine, she can face me without flinching, and she's. ".so beautiful," Hiei finished out loud without realizing it.  
Azura heard the two words but was curious about what he was talking about. "What is?" she asked.  
"What?"  
"You burst out with 'so beautiful'. What is?" she asked again.  
"Uh." he couldn't say she was the one the words were meant for. "The stars."  
"Oh." Azura looked up and smiled. "They are." She looked back at Hiei. "No more distractions."  
Hiei smiled a real smile this time and nodded. He pulled off his cloak and settled into his fighter stance.  
Azura looked at his half-clothed body. "May I ask why you did that? That'll only get you cut easier." "It slows me down. Don't worry, human. You won't get close enough to draw blood."  
Azura closed her eyes. "We'll see."  
  
Azura reminded Hiei of Kurama. Silent and didn't boast of their strength but gently pointed out that they would post as a threat.  
"Ladies first," Hiei offered, smirking.  
"Which is why I'm allowing you to go," Azura retorted with a playful gleam in her eyes.  
Hiei gave her a curt nod. "I'll ignore the pun and hit first, then. If I hurt you, I'm sorry." His eyes shone with honesty.  
Azura cocked her head at him curiously and waited. She didn't even bother to fall into her own stance.  
  
Hiei lunged at her, aiming a slash to her neck with twice his average speed. (Think about it. His average speed is really fast, so you do the math!) Azura knocked his katana away with her knife.  
  
Hiei looked at her surprised. "You met my speed with.like it was a.HN! Now I'm serious." They fought seriously for a while and later began to loose concentration and began to fight playfully.  
Hiei yelled in frustration when Azura managed to nick him on his neck with her knife and he had managed to score nothing major or minor on her. He swung his katana, batting the knife out of her hands. The knife skidded away a few feet. Hiei descended upon her with his katana held above her heart.  
  
"Eeek!" Azura squealed and reached out to tickle him. Hiei dropped his katana and began laughing. He fell to the ground beside her.  
"Yukina is the only person that's been able to tickle me in my life." Hiei said distantly.  
"Yukina?"  
"My sister."  
"Oh."  
"When we were extremely small, I can remember the two of us playing. Now she doesn't know that I'm related to her. It was so long ago and we've been separated for many years. She's forgotten about me."  
  
"I'm sorry," Azura murmured. Her hand inched over to him. It was funny to see him lose his bearing.  
Hiei turned to his side and supported his head with a cupped hand. His other hand went to Azura's silver hair. Her hair was soft and smooth beneath his fingers.  
  
Azura brought her hand up to his hand to push it away from her hair. "Don't do that," she said. Hiei said nothing but touched her fingers.  
"You haven't used your knife often."  
"Huh? What do you mean?"  
"Your hands aren't rough like min. I've used my katana for as long as I can remember." He continued to stoke her hand.  
"I've used mine since I was two, but I'm not allowed to use it as often as you. I'm a slave to a person you don't know."  
"A slave? Why?"  
"Five years ago, my parents and my older sister were killed by these horrible demons. I sat there and watched them die. I had no choice but to run away from my younger brother. I couldn't get far because he was really sick. It's a rare disease and the herbs to cure it are even rarer. I found them after a week growing under a window. I got some but I was caught. I begged my captor not to kill me because my little brother would die without me. I was offered a bargain. If I promised to be a slave, Toshi wouldn't die. I agreed because I didn't want anyone else to get killed." Azura sat up and turned away so Hiei couldn't see her tears, even though they were going to be hard to see in the darkness to begin with.  
"The person who I'm enslaved to has been in search of her brother because he supposedly abandoned her when she was young and went to live as a human. She's wants to find him.I mean, she wants me to find him or else Toshi dies a slow and painful death right before my eyes."  
Hiei sat up and held he against his chest. Azura tried to hold back her tears but didn't succeed.  
"But he's so close to death! Jirime swears up and down that Toshi's healing but now when I visit him, he doesn't move. He just lies there staring at me with a bleak look, not even blinking. I'm scared to know that he's already dead and Jirime knows it but she won't tell me because she needs me to do her dirty work," Azura continued.  
"Why can't you kill her? That would solve it easier, wouldn't it?"  
"She's drained 50 % of my Spirit Energy and sealed it into this big, black glass orb. If I did have the power to go through her defenses, I wouldn't have the energy to kill her."  
"How can you open the orb?"  
Azura thought and answered. "I remember her telling someone that a person that I love and loves me back and that has undergone extreme emotional and physical pains can open it.or something like that."  
  
Hiei thought over it. "I'll free you, Azura."  
Azura smirked. "You're full of yourself, aren't you? What makes you think I love you?" She began tickling him again; her mood had lightened a little. In a minute, Hiei was on his knees over her with her wrists pinned over her head by one of his hands.  
"You want to know how I know?" Hiei demanded quietly.  
Azura didn't answer and instead looked at his body. The semi- darkness allowed her to see nearly every line on his muscled body and on his arm that pinned her down. Why did she suddenly feel so strange?  
"Answer me, Azura."  
"What makes you sure, then?"  
  
Hiei didn't know what made him do something stupid like what he was about to do except for the intense beauty of Azura and her eyes that made her look so innocent. He saw Azura flinch as he bent his head towards her.  
Azura's eyes flew open when she felt Hiei run his tongue along her cheek, licking the salty tears off her face and then feeling the sudden, slight pressure of Hiei's lips against her own. This was new to her. All her life, she only experienced pain and anguish but now felt a twinge of pleasure. She had expected some sort of pain from Hiei, but this was.new.  
  
Hiei ended the kiss and looked at her. "Proof there. You didn't struggle."  
Azura flushed. "Maybe that's because you've got me pinned down where I can't do anything but stay still."  
"You aren't that dim. I can see it in your eyes. You know that there was a way to escape if you truly wanted to. Note the fact that I didn't have your legs pinned down." He let her see that she could have easily kicked him between his legs. "But.I know you won't, will you?" He bent down and kissed her again. This time Azura lost herself in his touch, feeling how strange it was for someone to show some affection for her, even if it was slightly forced.  
It was also strange to see this side of him. At first he had seemed like a person to be cruel and forceful, but this side of his showed that he was capable of compassion.  
  
"Hiei?!" A gentle voice cried out in utter disbelief.  
Hiei looked up, answering the voice. "Oh, you're up. I was.uh.really worried."  
Kurama raised an eyebrow and his hands were in his pockets. "And I suppose you were over here calming your nerves?"  
Azura blushed. She knew what it must look like to him. Hiei stood and pulled her up to her feet. Azura rubbed her wrists. Hiei had squeezed her hands together too tightly.  
"Did I hurt you?" Hiei asked quickly, seeing her rubbing her wrists.  
"Yeah. I can't feel my fingers."  
Hiei grasped her hands and held it up so he could see them in the dim moonlight. He could see red lines where his fingers had been. "I'm sorry," he said.  
"Don't be. It's not like you regretted what you did in the first place," Azura said grinning.  
Hiei grinned sheepishly back and remembered Kurama. "Look, kitsune, it's not what you think."  
"And you're positive of what's going on in my mind?" Kurama asked, smiling. He threw Hiei's cloak at him. "If you become ill, I'm only going to laugh." He focused his attention on Azura. Her hair was giving off a faint glow from the small amount of moonlight.  
He came closer to see her face. He saw that she was beautiful and her solemn blue eyes made her look like she knew what deep sadness and pain was and as if she understood it all.  
"I've never seen you around here, or anywhere. Have you just moved here?" he asked.  
"Erm." Azura glanced at Hiei, knowing that he knew she ran from three towns away. "Today's Friday, right?" she asked finally. Kurama nodded. "I'm just moving here and I haven't decided in which school to enroll in."  
"What grade are you in?"  
"Eleventh."  
"Same here! Why don't you go to my high school? It's called Sarayashiki High. It's decent."  
Azura smiled. Her plan was going pretty well. Hopefully Jirime would be pleased. "That'd be great."  
"Where do you live? I can walk you home," Kurama said.  
Azura's smile left. "No where.my parents died in an accident so I'm just sort of looking for a place to settle down. I live three towns away with my.uh.Aunt Jo. She's going senile so I found this place."  
Kurama fell silent. "You can live with me. My mother wouldn't mind. We've got plenty of extra rooms."  
Hiei scowled at this suggestion. "Fine, but I'll be watching over her so watch yourself."  
"I'm not going to take her from you, Hiei."  
Azura cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but it's not like we're in a relationship or anything. I know what it seemed like to you, but we were only fighting and both of us got a little carried away." She turned to Kurama. "I'd be glad to stay with you."  
"That reminds me. I don't know your name or you mine," Kurama said.  
"Azura.erm.Hiratsuka." Azura gave him the name she heard a human use.  
"I'm Suiichi Minamino. It's a pleasure to meet you, though I'm sure Hiei has had more."  
Hiei muttered something under his breath.  
"Well, Suiichi. Do me a favor and cut the crap. I know you're called Kurama," Azura said.  
Both Kurama and Hiei gaped at her in surprise. Kurama backed up a few inches.  
"How do you know me, what do you want and what's your true identity?!" he demanded.  
"I'll explain the first question when the time comes. For the second, Hiei will be glad to fill you in on my sort of mission. As for the last question, I'll eventually tell you both, but just call me Azura. Only you two are to know," Azura said evenly. "And Kurama, if you help me, I'll help you stop the visions."  
"How do you." Kurama trailed off. He walked away a few feet to sort out his thoughts.  
Hiei stormed up to Azura and grabbed a fistful of the front of her shirt. He pulled her close until she was two inches from his face. (For those of you who have an over active imagination, put this in your minds: Azura has a shirt with a pretty high collar. Some of you might have figured she had a low cut shirt or something so I had to get this straight.)  
"So, you've been lying to me the whole time?! Luring me into a trap? Tell the truth or I will kill you!" Hiei snarled.  
Azura looked into his glowing red eyes. "I've told you the truth except for my name which will be told later on. As for what I told Kurama, my parents didn't die in an accident, they were killed and I live with a woman who has me for a slave, not a senile woman." She kissed him lightly on his nose to calm him. "And besides. You cannot kill a female. It's against your Code of Honor. You cannot hurt a female unless she has harmed you or your loved ones in a death threatening way."  
Hiei loosened his grip. "How do you know my code.?"  
"Like I said, I'll eventually explain everything later. And if you want to kill me, please do it. My life has only been full of hatred and pain." Tears filled her eyes again.  
"Don't cry," Hiei murmured. "I'm not worth your tears. Anyway, even if you are plotting to kill Kurama, I'll set you free."  
"I'm not planning to kill him. I don't want to. He's too innocent to kill. but Hiei, Jirime thinks Kurama is her brother, like I said. She's a kitsune spirit and Kurama's demon form shows that he's one. Youko is a famous kitsune spirit, though I've never truly got to see him. I'm supposed to get him somehow and bring him to Jirime."  
Hiei let go completely and looked at Azura as if stunned. Azura leaned against him to try and console herself. Hiei held her tightly.  
"Does she want to kill him for abandoning her?"  
"I don't know," Azura lied. "Will you still help me? You don't have too."  
"Yes, of course I will," Hiei said without thinking.  
"Thank-you so much!" Azura hugged him. "Please don't tell him. I'll tell him when the time comes."  
"I won't."  
  
Yeah, it's kind of too cheesy and too romancey for my taste, but it's one of the things I want to happen. This may be the beginning of a sort of love triangle. Please review!  
  
= ^o^ = 


	4. Human Hospitality

Disclaimer: I don't own anybody from YYH but the characters that don't appear on the cartoon are mine.  
Flames are accepted, encouraged, whatever. Just read and review is all I ask.  
  
CHAPTER THREE: HUMAN HOSPITALITY  
  
Kurama opened the door to his house and took Azura into Shiori's room.  
Shiori happened to be watching a light-night horror movie in pitch black except the glowing TV. When Kurama knocked on the door, Shiori screamed. She saw Kurama's height and quickly turned on a lamp.  
"Suiichi, you're back earlier than I expected." She saw Azura standing beside Kurama in the doorway.  
Azura was nervous to be in a human household. Out of her nerves, she had grabbed Kurama's hand and held on tightly. For the past minute, Kurama was trying to get her to let go without making a big commotion.  
"Suiichi, don't be rude! Introduce her to me. I didn't know you had a girlfriend. She's beautiful! Just like one of the sea spirits my mother told me about when I was young."  
"She is not my girlfriend--"  
"Don't be so shy!"  
Azura bowed respectfully. "My name is Azura Hiratsuka. It's nice to see you, Mrs. Minamino."  
"Oh, she's beautiful and polite. What brings you here my dear?"  
Azura turned red. "I-I'd rather not say."  
"She and her parents were in a car accident," Kurama said. This was the last thing he wanted to do to his mother, which was lie more than he already had been doing. Now he had no choice but to play along. "It was dreadful. The car exploded minutes after she and her parents were drawn from the car. They've been in the hospital for the past few days. Her parents expired this morning, just when Azura was supposed to check out. Forgive me, Mother, but because she had nowhere to turn for shelter, I asked if she wouldn't mind staying with us. I knew we had more rooms than needed."  
"Of course she can stay! I always wanted a daughter to teach things to. I couldn't teach you, Suiichi, to cook, sew, knit, things like that. Now, Azura, sweetie, I'm sure you'd enjoy a bath after being in a hospital for so long. Suiichi, show her where the tubs are and I'll leave her things out. There's a towel hanging on the rack okay?"  
Kurama nodded and led Azura down the hallway. Once at the doorway, Kurama finally wrenched his hand from her grip. He pinned her to the wall with his hands at her shoulders. "Look," he said angrily, but still spoke in a calm tone, "don't make me lie to her again. There's so much she doesn't know already. I despise having to hide everything about myself to her, but there is no choice to be had."  
Azura didn't know what to say. Where was the Kurama she saw in the woods? Where was the patience and gentleness? "I-I'm sorry," she muttered. She felt that yet again she had ran into someone who wasn't capable of caring.  
Kurama's emerald eyes burned into her. He looked away. "Maybe someday - when we get acquainted better - perhaps I shall tell you of my past. That is after you tell me more of yourself, that is." He pushed Azura gently into the bathroom and closed the door. He returned to Shiori's room.  
Shiori smiled down at her son. "Why are you ashamed to tell me that you have a girlfriend? She's really pretty. You shouldn't be ashamed!"  
"We've been arguing for the past months. I feared that our relationship wouldn't last for much longer so I didn't know what to say. Because her parents have died, I'm trying to redeem myself by treating her the way she deserves."  
"Poor thing. It must be hard on the two of you. Just be nice, she must be feeling alone."  
"Yes, Mother."  
  
In his room he changed out of the clothes he had worn. He sat in his desk chair. 'Why does Azura-if that's her name-look so familiar?' he thought. He massaged his temples to try to ease the headache he just realized he had.  
Azura came into his room and saw him rubbing his head. "What's wrong?" she asked at last.  
"I've got a headache," he answered. Then he remembered that it was Azura. "Not that you are concerned or anything."  
"I do care," Azura said with honesty. "I can stop it."  
"No don't--" Kurama cried, but Azura ignored her. She placed her hands at his temple. Her hands began glowing a pale blue color. Kurama's headache finally disappeared.  
Kurama turned and grabbed her hands. He flicked on his overhead light and looked at them. "What did you use?" he asked slowly, still staring at her smooth hands.  
"My-my Spirit Energy. Why?" she asked slowly.  
"But you are human. Only the Spiritually Aware usually can use their energy in that way." he trailed off and looked at her. This was the first time he'd been able to see her clearly. She was more beautiful in the light.  
"You can't be human though," he murmured, mostly to himself. "You cannot have died your hair that color and your eyes are the strangest shade of blue. Though your skin is pale, you cannot be an Albino."  
"What are you saying," Azura said slowly.  
"You are not human. From your beauty, I would say that you were an ice or water apparition, but from the way you carry yourself and the lack of timidity, you could possibly be fire demon or something of that sort."  
"What makes you think I'm an apparition just by looking at me?" Azura asked curiously. "Do all apparitions look like me? The only one I've seen was my grandmother and mother."  
"W-was?"  
"They're both dead," Azura said flatly. She pulled away from Kurama and sat on the edge of Kurama's bed. "So is my father." She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "I see them in my dreams nearly every night. They get torn to pieces over and over and over. It's--" she buried her face in her arms.  
"You were not lying, were you?" Kurama said in awe. He sat beside her and stroked her cheek. "I beg your forgiveness. I did not know. Look at me."  
Azura looked up curiously after wiping her tears, but the tears continued to fall. Kurama smiled sympathetically. "It's okay. There's no need to shed tears." He held her close to him and allowed her to lean on his shoulder. He continued to pat her.  
  
Shiori walked in to ask where Azura was. She found her crying with Kurama's eyes around her. 'How sweet!' she thought, with tears of joy rising into her eyes.  
"It's alright, Mother. I think you can trust me enough to allow her stay in my room. A strange house may be capable of making her afraid," Kurama said.  
"That's fine, Suiichi. Good night," Shiori said beaming at them.  
"You too, Mother."  
Shiori closed the door and went to her bedroom, smiling to herself.  
  
There was a blast of wind issuing from Kurama's open window. Hiei stood looking down at Kurama and Azura sitting close together.  
"What is it, Hiei?" Kurama asked in a tired tone.  
"That is none of your concern," retorted Hiei.  
"It is my room, mind you."  
"I can tell Azura goodnight, can't I?"  
"I suppose so."  
Azura looked up at Hiei. Hiei saw that her eyes were red. "She's been in tears. What did you do, Kurama?" he demanded in an even tone.  
Kurama opened his mouth to answer but Azura frantically shook her head. "He didn't do anything. He realized that.he realized something about my p-parents and about myself. Anyway, it doesn't matter what he does or says. You aren't my boyfriend or owner."  
Hiei couldn't help but smile. "You know what I think? Even if you were an inch from death, you'd remain as you are."  
"What's that supposed to--" Azura began.  
"Nothing. What is it that Kurama realized?" Hiei asked.  
"We will explain everything to one another one day. Now is not the time," Kurama said. Azura nodded in agreement.  
"Fine. Azura, stand so I can kiss you goodnight," Hiei said.  
  
Azura glared at him. She wasn't used to all this attention and it slowly began to hack away at her nerves. "No," she said firmly.  
"Oh go on," Kurama said. "He will not leave until you do." Azura stood up and allowed Hiei to kiss her on the lips.  
"Goodnight," Azura said sternly. Hiei disappeared out the window. "I don't know what to think of him . . ." she said. She sat down and brushed her hair over her ears.  
"You didn't answer my question, Azura. Are you a water or ice apparition or are you a fire demon?" Kurama asked.  
"Both."  
"Elaborate."  
"My mother was a water apparition and my father was a fire demon."  
"This is your human form?"  
"I can show you my demon form if you want."  
"All right." Kurama moved away to give her room. He was curious to see if she would turn into something hideous or beautiful.  
Azura turned into her demon form. Her silver hair turned the sparkling blue of an ocean and her eyes darkened to a midnight blue. The pajama's she wore that Shiori gave her slowly faded into a flowing pale blue gown that was almost transparent. The gown resembled a nightgown with sleeves that tapered from the shoulders to her wrists. The gown looked like it was soaked through with water because it clung to every curve on her on her lithe body.  
Kurama stared at her. The gown set off her eyes and pale skin. Her eyes gave her a look of deep sadness. She was breathtakingly beautiful- more beautiful than her human form, which was extraordinary for a human. Azura looked at him for his opinion. "Well?"  
Kurama's mouth opened and closed a few times, trying and failing to say what he wanted.  
Azura smiled in amusement. "Say something or close your mouth. You look like a fish."  
"You're beautiful . . .beyond beautiful," Kurama said softly, correcting himself.  
"Thank you." Azura looked away from him and gazed at her left arm. Oh her slender arm was a black band that didn't seem to match her. On the band were strange purple symbols. This was the band that kept her Spirit Energy at fifty percent. Fifty percent was enough, but it wasn't enough to defeat Jirime and reclaim her freedom.  
Kurama noticed the band and studied it curiously. He didn't say anything because it seemed to deeply bother her. Azura felt his gaze and smiled at him to hide her feelings. "I'll tell you about it later, okay?"  
Kurama smiled back. "That's fine. You're a water apparition in demon form? Do you only possess the abilities of the apparition or do you possess those of your father?"  
"A mixture of both, but the techniques I know from my father takes more Spirit Energy to use than what I can spare."  
"You will elaborate on the subject at a later time-I understand that." His remarkable green eyes continued to study her carefully, but in a curious way rather than one that offended.  
His eyes met hers and it felt as if he was burning into her soul. Azura blushed and turned back into her human form. Kurama said nothing and looked at her with his eyes full of questions.  
"You were making me uncomfortable," Azura explained. "You kept staring at me like I was something unnatural for both a human and demon."  
"Forgive me, but I've never seen--"  
"It's okay. I'm used to it by now." Azura sat down stiffly and glanced at the clock on Kurama's desk. 'Two o'clock already?' Azura thought.  
"You're exhausted, aren't you? You may sleep on my bed. I don't fell weary at all."  
Azura looked down at the bed. It was a king-sized bed. She had never seen a bed this big except for the one in Jirime's private chamber. She looked back at Kurama.  
"Then. . .where are you going to sleep?"  
"I don't believe I will. I have something on my mind that will prevent me from slumber."  
"I can help you go to sleep," Azura offered tentatively.  
"How?"  
"The same way I eased your headache."  
"Not now. You need to sleep. Perhaps that is the reason you are so pale." Kurama ushered her into his bed, pulling the covers back for her. He met her eyes and smiled. "What is it? Would you like me to read a bedtime story to help you sleep?"  
"No, it's just that. . .I want you to get some sleep. You're getting bags under your eyes."  
Kurama looked into a mirror that hung on his wall. He studied the delicate featured on his face and noted that what she said was true. He sighed deeply when he realized that Azura wouldn't sleep until he at least pretended to sleep. He sat on the bed beside her. "I cannot sleep. I will stay here beside you until you do, just like my mother did to me when I was young. Did your mother do the same?"  
"She sang to me. That was over five years ago and it was hard back then. The song always relaxed me and made me forget about being scared, hurt. . .anything."  
"What if you have too much on your mind and you're afraid that visions full of suffering will assail you in your slumber?"  
"It will help and visions won't occur until tomorrow. This will help you get some decent sleep. I can't stop it, but I can hold it back."  
"You know the song then?"  
"I sung it to my little brother."  
"Will you sing it to me?"  
"I guess so. You've been nice to me, so I'll do this for you. Scoot down so when you fall asleep you won't hit your head on the headboard."  
Kurama obeyed and watched Azura turn off the light. He felt her move closer to him.  
"I'm going to have to pretend that you're my brother because if I don't, you'll make me nervous and mess me up," Azura murmured.  
"Go ahead." Kurama stared into the darkness in awe at the fact that he would make her nervous over something silly like this.  
Azura kissed Kurama lightly on the forehead like she used to do for Toshi. She stroked his hair and cheeks and closed her eyes, imagining Toshi in her arms before she met Jirime.  
"Nen nen ookorioo. Ashita wa ogenki ni. . ." she began. 'Sleep well. Tomorrow will be a better day,' the words sang.  
The words and simple melody swirled around Kurama as if they were a gentle current. Instantly, all the troubled thoughts were wiped out of his mind and he fell fast asleep.  
  
In a tree near Kurama's window, Hiei jealously listened to everything that went on. Soon he felt himself doze off from hearing Azura's song.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~That's it for now. The song Azura sang is a real song-a real lullaby. My own mother sang it to me and my brothers when we were little. It's Japanese, and none of you should have every heard it before. That was only part of the lullaby. Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW! I haven't got much reviews so I want to know if this sucks or not.~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	5. First Encounter with Humans

As soon as the sun rose, Azura woke up. It was a habit that she couldn't break. She opened her eyes and found herself curled up to Kurama's chest and his arms wrapped loosely around her. She blushed and slowly got out of the bed, trying not to wake him up.  
She opened up a bag she had brought with her. She glanced quickly at Kurama to see if he was still sound asleep and pulled on some clothes. She went to the window and pulled the curtains back a bit. She looked out and saw Hiei asleep on the Maple tree near Kurama's window.  
"Idiot!" she hissed to herself. She leaped out the open window, somersaulted in the air and landed on the branch in front of Hiei without making a sound and without making the branch sway from extra weight. She had used a small amount of Spirit Energy to make herself weightless.  
She had half a mind to kick Hiei out of the tree but instead she grabbed him by the front of his cloak and hoisted him into the air.  
"Wake up!" she said, shaking him.  
Hiei jerked awake and looked around. "What?! What did I do?"  
"You idiot! You fell asleep with the sun coming up knowing good and well that the humans will be able to see you in the dense leaves! What if someone saw you?"  
"If they scream, I can kill them. Nothing in my Code of Honor says that I can't kill a worthless human-no offense, though, to you." He looked at Azura holding him in the air. True, he wasn't that heavy, but it still surprised him to see Azura holding him this high in the air above the ground without straining. "How is it that you can hold me up in the air?" he asked curiously.  
"Don't worry about it. What are you sleeping in this tree anyway?"  
"I was sitting here last night making sure you were okay. I heard you singing and fell asleep." Hiei detached himself from her grip and stood easily on the tree branch. "Your balance is pretty good for a human."  
"Erm. . .thank, I guess. Do yourself a favor and don't fall asleep in a tree with leaves this dense. If you have to, then find a tree with thicker foliage." She turned, jumped off the branch and reentered the house the same way she exited.  
Hiei stared after her in awe. He leaped out of the tree and left.  
  
Azura had her elbows on the windowsill with her hands folded under her chin. She looked curiously at the view. It was amazing to her. To the north was the ocean. The morning light hit the water at an angle that made it sparkle like a jewel. . .it looked just like her hair in her demon form. To the east was a mounted covered with trees. To the west was the rest of the small, quaint neighborhood.  
She sighed at the beauty of it. She had never seen anything like it. She was used to darkness and dim light.  
  
Kurama woke up. He remembered Azura and looked beside him to see if Azura was asleep. There was nothing there. He saw something silver glint in the morning light near the window. It was Azura watching out the window. He left silently, took a shower, tried to control his unruly hair but failed, and came back to his room to find Azura still looking wistfully out the window.  
"What is so interesting outside?" he asked.  
Azura turned and saw Kurama in a pair of jeans with a towel perched on his shoulders. "What, are you like Hiei or something? Are you and Hiei all eager to throw off your shirts and show yourselves off?"  
Kurama looked at himself. "It's a habit. I don't usually put a shirt on immediately after I bathe. Does it offend you?" He looked at her and still saw her looking at him, dazed. "Azura?"  
Azura shook her head. "I'm sorry. I've never seen someone like you. All I've seen are humans turned into something horrific and a lot of mutated demons."  
"It's alright. I've never seen something quite like you either, so we are even, I suppose."  
Azura looked back at the window. "It's all beautiful at a distance, but if you're close, is it ugly or is it still beautiful?"  
"What do you mean?" Kurama moved behind her and looked out the window as well. "The view?"  
Azura nodded. "I've never seen water look like that. What's it called?"  
"It's called an ocean. If you want, I can take you there. We should be able to spend most of the day there if that is what you want."  
Azura spun around and hugged him around the waist. "You'd do that? Thank you!"  
Kurama smiled to himself and gently peeled her off of him. "Calm down. Let me put on some decent clothes."  
Azura watched him pull a shirt over his head and looked at his hair. "Why did you let your hair grow out? Do you ever get mistaken for a girl?"  
"Don't remind me," Kurama muttered in a sullen voice. The t-shirt he had on was black with a three-eyed monster with a sword through its chest. "This shirt reminded me of Hiei. It was amusing to me, but Hiei was affronted. He said that he isn't going to put his weapon through his chest unless it was suicide to get away from all the stupidity in this world."  
He took Azura down the stairs and into the kitchen. Shiori was reading the newspaper. "Good morning," she said.  
"Good morning, Mother. Shall I make you some coffee or tea?" Kurama said, greeting his mother with a peck on the cheek.  
"That would be lovely dear. I'll take some coffee." Shiori looked at Azura. "What would you like to eat, dear? Oh, before I forget, I want you to call me Shiori. If you're to be my future daughter-in-law, then we should be on first name terms." Shiori didn't catch the exasperated look on Kurama's face.  
"I don't want anything. Thank you, though." Azura sensed something odd about Shiori. The night before, Shiori was happy, but Azura could sense a deep sadness from her. "Shiori! What's the matter? Has something happened?"  
Shiori stared at her in awe. Kurama did the same and glanced at his mother to see what was wrong. "Azura. . .how could you possibly know. . .? It's nothing, though. It's nothing of importance."  
Kurama was worried now. He knew his mother for 17 years and knew enough than when Shiori said nothing was wrong, something was wrong. He dropped the coffee cup in his hand, spilling coffee and shards of pewter everywhere.  
"Mother, I've known you for all my life. You cannot say that nothing is the matter. What has happened?" Kurama said, going towards his mother.  
"I-I can't tell you. Read the obituary."  
Azura didn't know whether to leave or stay. This was obviously a family thing. She cleaned up the mess and poured some fresh coffee. She placed it on the table and went to Kurama's side, looking curiously at the thing called the newspaper.  
"Miss Shida? She. . .I-I can't believe it. She's struggled for so long and now she's. . ." Kurama muttered to himself. His shoulders slumped. Azura put an arm around him to try and help console him just as he had done for her.  
"I told you, Suiichi. I didn't want to tell you. She. . .she left her house to you, you know that? Just the other day at the hospital, she told me that if she died, she wanted you to have her house and belongings. Why don't you and Azura move in?"  
"But Mother, what of you? You would be alone in this house and you know what sort of people live around here."  
"I'll be fine! It would make me happy to see you two live together in the house you loved as a child."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes, I am. Do Shida's memory a favor and take her house."  
"Yes, Mother. I'll pack my things later today. I planned to take Azura out to see the ocean. She has never seen the ocean before. Can you believe that?"  
Shiori smiled. "Don't make fun of her. You've hardly ever seen a girl, so don't judge her. She may leave you if she knew how you really are."  
Kurama said nothing for a moment. "Perhaps it is you, Mother, that doesn't know how I really am. What if I was a demon or something that could kill you? What if I have found you inferior to me during my whole life, but I have said nothing? How would you react?" he said slowly, wondering at himself at how he could dare to ask these things.  
Shiori stared at him for a moment. She burst out laughing. "You're joking! That's the strangest thing I ever heard you say! If it was true, I would still love you for who you were. . .even if you were a monster out to eat my soul. Now run along, Suiichi. Honestly. . ." she muttered and left the room.  
Azura looked down at Kurama. "What made you say all that? I thought you were going to keep it from her."  
Kurama shrugged. "It sort of slipped and I had no choice but to finish the sentence. I was curious about it as well. What if she knew of my past, would she still care for me or would I be a forgotten child as Hiei had become?"  
"Hiei?"  
"Never mind. Lets go." Kurama stood and walked out the door with Azura behind him  
  
They walked casually but when Kurama passed an alley, he quickened his pace. "Keep close to me. There are alleged rapists and killers on the next block," he said.  
"You walk past these people everyday?!"  
"Correct."  
"Do you get attacked by them?"  
"Once. Then thought I was a female. They pushed me into an alley strewn with boxes and pinned me down the ground. They argued over who would get me first. Still, I said nothing. As soon as one of them tried to pull my clothes off, I retaliated and nearly killed them. I couldn't bring myself to kill them, even though they deserve it." He glanced at Azura. "Go ahead and laugh at it."  
"I'm not going to. I don't think it's very funny."  
  
A group of boys around 15 to 18 stood in front of them. Kurama stopped and stood patiently. The obvious leader with a red bandana peeked at Azura who stood half hidden behind Kurama.  
"Hey, babe. Whatcha doin' wit a fag? Why don'cha lift yer skirt fer daddy?" he cackled.  
Azura stepped our from behind Kurama. "I'm wearing shorts, you idiot," she said.  
"Ooo!" the leader grinned at his group. "A feisty one, eh? I know 'zactly whatcha needs. You needs a strong guy to take you's to bed to beat you's feistyness into submission. Then you's be a silent chick that has no choice buts to's listen to what evers we's says."  
"Hmm, sounds tempting, but I don't see a single strong guy in front of me," Azura said.  
"Well that ain'ts no strong guy beside you's either. Why don't I just make sweet love to you's right a' front 'a him.? Then you'd leave 'im for me. You deserves a good guy whos skilled ats it."  
Azura gave Kurama a frustrated look and Kurama threw her an amused one.  
"Well?" the boy said. "What d'ya says?" 


	6. Spending Quality Time

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I own Azura, Koji, the boys in the gang and whoever else is in here that isn't on the normal cartoon. Please review and flames are accepted.  
  
Note: If you have been reading Shonen Jump lately and have been reading the YYH part, then you know that in it, Kurama's human name is Shuichi. I like the way Suiichi sounds better than Suiichi, so I'll be using Suiichi and also, on the cartoon it sounds like Suiichi so that's another reason to use this name.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~CHAPTER FIVE: Spending Quality Time~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"All right, how about a challenge," Azura said after a while. "You can move pretty fast, right?" She ignored Kurama's glanced at her and continued to look the greasy haired teen in his eyes.  
The boy grinned. "Course, babe. You have no idea."  
"Well, here's the deal. If you can cut a piece of both Suiichi and my hair off before I can get a lock of the five of your buddies' and yours then you can do as you please to both Suiichi and me. If I win, you've got to never touch us again or suffer."  
"Sho, babe, but you's dunno what yous gots yo'self into."  
"Trust me, I know. Don't worry. You all can dodge but neither of the two of us will dodge you." She pulled her knife out and held it near her lips in a taunting gesture. "On your mark, Suiichi."  
Kurama sighed as if wondering how in the world he was caught between this and nodded. "On the count of three then. One, two-"  
The leader began on the count of two. He started towards them. Just as Kurama counted to three, Azura stepped casually around the group and cut a lock or two off the boys. She stopped back in front of Kurama's bored, casual stance and threw the locks down on the ground.  
"I'm done. What did you get?" Azura said with mock curiosity.  
The leader looked down in disbelief. "Ain't no way you's did that! You didn't even move!" He looked over at his group. "Check you's hair. Did she get anys of ya?"  
The boys slowly felt their hair and nodded one by one. The leader scowled and felt the empty air where part of his bangs were. "You. . .I don' care! I's still gonna getcha even if you's did win!" He lunged at Azura.  
  
Kurama stepped in front of Azura and tripped the boy. With a well- aimed kick, the boy went flying over a hedge into a yard with a dog. All you could hear was the sound of a dog barking and a boy screaming.  
One of the boys stepped forward to meet Kurama who grabbed the boy's wrist, pressing his thumb against the base of the boy's thumb rather painfully. "Shall I break your wrist?" Kurama asked politely.  
The boy shook his head roughly. "N-no! S-sorry mister! I won't go near you again!"  
Kurama let go of the boy and watched him trip over the smallest of pebbles. The other boys followed suit. He sighed. "You've got a lot to learn. You don't rush into human affairs and challenge them to things a demon could easily win." He offered her his arm. "Take my arm. If I guess correctly, you will be busy goggling at the view and the simplest human things to watch where you are going."  
Azura put up her knife and slipped a hand through his arm. "I hope we don't run into people like that on the way."  
"We probably won't. Most people have enough sense not to do things like that in the open."  
  
As soon as they had walked a mile, Azura found what Kurama said was true. She had never seen so many humans in one place. Kurama smiled at her behavior and took her hand to guide her along a narrow path.  
"Who's that girl, Minamino?" a boy called out. Kurama turned and faced a boy with brown hair.  
"Hello, Koji," Kurama said. He looked towards Azura. "This is a good friend of mine."  
"Hello," Azura said.  
Koji stared at her for a while and shook his head. He flashed her a smile that made most girls melt in their shoes. He was surprised to see Azura look back at him calmly with no expression on her face. Koji was pretty well built for a human and handsome in a boyish way and he was used to girls fawning over him. Azura's obvious lack of interest made him want to get to know her better.  
"I'm Koji Watanabe. What's your name?"  
"Azura Hiratsuka."  
"You're new, aren't you? Or maybe you're from the Jr. High and that's why I haven't seen you. You look really young."  
"No, I'm new here. I start school at the high school here Monday."  
"What high school?"  
"Sarayashiki High. That's what it's called, isn't it?" Azura said, looked at Kurama who nodded.  
"Cool! Maybe I'll have some classes with you in it!"  
"Maybe. How do you know Suiichi?"  
"How do YOU know Minamino?"  
"I asked you first but if you must know, we've known each other for a while and I came to live here because all my relations died." She smiled at Kurama. "He's been very nice to me."  
"Mm hmm. Well, I know Minamino because we play soccer together. We've been friends for a long time. We were four when we first met."  
"Yes and his intelligence hasn't matured as him body has," Kurama joked.  
"Come off it. I can't be perfect like you!" Koji scoffed. He continued in a high-pitched voice. "Oh my! Look there's Suiichi Minamino! Did you know that he's a soccer star with the highest grade point average in the whole school not to mention he's such a cutie with a perfects body!" He crossed his arms. "If I were you, I'd enjoy what I had. Sure, I can get basically whatever girl I want but the girls want you more."  
He turned to Azura with his arms still crossed and flashed her an innocent puppy-like smile. "So anyway, babe, what would you say if I asked you out?"  
"I would have to interject and ask about Tsuri. I thought the two of you were together," Kurama said.  
"She found out that you were single and dumped me harder than the science gravity test with a cantaloupe."  
"You were supposed to keep that fact to yourself! I don't want over half of the girls in the school attacking me when I have homework and things to help my mother with!"  
"All you have on your mind is school work and your mom. When are you going to live?! But its not like I did it on purpose. She blackmailed me! So I'm single, you, Azura, are single so why not the two of us get together?"  
Kurama looked at Azura to see her reaction. He wanted to know how she would take something all humans had to go through.  
"Sorry. I'm taken," Azura said simply.  
"BY WHO?!" Koji demanded. All 'cool and calm' was gone.  
Azura pretended to look amazed. "You. . .you really don't know? I thought it was obvious!"  
"I don't know! TELL ME!" Koji said almost screaming.  
"Suiichi! How could you not tell?"  
Kurama was more surprised than Koji was but he couldn't deny the thrill of joy that flashed in his heart. He smiled at her. Koji looked dubiously at the two of them  
"I don't believe it. Kiss her then, Minamino. I can tell if you're telling the truth or not. Kiss her for real. A little peck on the lips or cheek doesn't count." Koji said.  
Kurama looked at Azura thoughtfully. He saw in her eyes that she knew what was expected of the two of them. He cupped her chin in his hand and gently tilted her head back. His lips went against hers. The touch filled him with a strange emotion he never felt before.  
Koji watched jealously then slowly began to grimace. "Okay! I got the point!" He ran off.  
Azura ended the kiss and watched Koji run. "Are all humans like that?" she asked curiously.  
"Like what?" Kurama asked.  
"Obsessed with their looks and are constantly in search of a partner to please them."  
"Not all of them, but it's just the age the males are at. Their hormones take over their common sense."  
"That means you're at that age for a human."  
"Yes."  
"Don't you get animalistic impulses?"  
"Perhaps this isn't the time or place to discuss this." Kurama blushed.  
"Does that mean you do?"  
"If I did, I have enough sense to resist it."  
Azura laughed. Her laugh was gentle and melodic. She took his arm and walked down the street with him. Soon the two of them were near the ocean.  
  
"Close your eyes," Kurama said when they only had a few yards to go.  
"Why?"  
"Trust me."  
Azura looked at him and closed her eyes. Kurama lifted her up and threw her into the water, making sure he threw her where the water wasn't shallow.  
Azura's eyes flew open. She twisted her body slightly and allowed gravity to pull her into the water. She dove in but made it look like she was struggling. Kurama waded in after a while to find her. She hadn't come up to the surface in more than five minutes.  
As soon as he got a distance into the water, something pinned his legs together and pulled him into the water. His mouth began to fill with water when he cried out. He was going deeper and deeper into the water. The surface was too far away. . .he felt for sure that he was going to drown.  
The next thing he knew, he was able to take a breath of air. He was back at the surface.  
  
Kurama shook his hair out of his eyes and found Azura sitting on top of the water's surface. "You forgot I was a water apparition, didn't you?" she said playfully.  
"For a second, yes," Kurama said gasping for air. "I believe you should get back in the water. If a human saw you, it wouldn't be a very amusing event for you."  
Azura frowned. "There's nobody here. I don't sense any Spirit Energy anywhere near here."  
"Fine, but can we get out of the water? It's making my body numb."  
"That's fine with me." Azura stood and walked on the surface towards the shore. She looked back and saw Kurama swimming towards the shore. She sighed and used her Spirit Energy to pull him quicker to the shore.  
  
Both of their clothes were soaked through. Kurama led her to a grassy area in a park only a short walk away. The sun was shining down on them to help them dry out.  
Kurama watched as Azura threw her wet hair back over her shoulder. Her wet hair fell in perfect place. Knowing his hair couldn't do that, he pushed it back.  
"You look like a drowned rat," Azura said laughing.  
"What of you?!" Kurama retorted defensively.  
"I don't know. Tell me. What of me? I don't look like a drowned rat, do I?"  
"No, you're beautiful and even being soaked as you are," Kurama admitted.  
Azura supported her head on her cupped hands. She looked away. "You can't mean that," she said softly.  
"I do. Would you prefer me to lie to you and say that you're an ugly wench that deserves to be ground into pulp and fed to a group of Cultivated Humans?"  
Azura winced out of habit. "No, but I'm used to it. I hadn't heard anything nice said to me since I was at least five years old."  
They both sat in silence for a while. Azura didn't mind being with Kurama. He was kind, gentle and even though he would tease her, it didn't seem to offend her that much. She enjoyed spending time with him.  
"Kurama," Azura began carefully. "I'm going to tell you the whole story. I'm going to tell you why I'm here, why my parents died but I'm not going to tell you my true name. That will be saved for another time when I feel ready. Is that okay?"  
"That's fine. I'm listening so begin whenever you please."  
"Before I start, please don't bring this up afterwards because it hurts me."  
"I won't. Shouldn't we tell Hiei? Doesn't he have a right to know?"  
"He does, but I guess I can tell him later."  
"Don't worry. I'm here," Hiei said. He jumped down from the tree he had been in all morning.  
"How long were you in there watching us?" Azura asked.  
"I've been here every since you woke me up." Hiei stretched and sat down.  
Kurama studied Hiei's expression. "Hiei, have you been watching Yukina as you promised you would?" he asked.  
"Of course. My Jagan eye will always be watching her unless I'm with her," Hiei said.  
"The Jagan eye?! How could you put up with the pain of getting that implanted?!" Azura exclaimed.  
Hiei stared at her, dumbfounded. "How in the world do you know of the Jagan eye? Has Kurama told you?"  
"No. He hasn't told me anything about you. All I really know about you is that you're a fire demon just like my father was."  
"Fire demon? Are you a halfling?"  
"That will get answered later on." Azura pushed her hair over her ears. "I'm going to channel my memories into your minds. That way you'll see as I've seen and you'll feel everything I felt." She took a deep breath. She spoke again with a waver in her voice. "Because I have to see it to channel it to you, I too will be reliving this nightmare."  
"If it hurts you that much then you do not have to tell us," Kurama said, reaching out to touch her shoulder in a comforting gesture.  
"I feel that I have to so I'll be able to get part of this feeling off of my shoulders. Maybe that way it won't hurt me as much to remember the good times I had with my family." She took their hands and concentrated on putting her memories in their minds. Soon Kurama and Hiei could see a picture in their minds.  
  
"This," Azura explained, "Was about eight or nine years ago. This was when I was happy. My parents, sister and brother were alive and happy. It was after Toshi was born before everything seemed to mess up." 


	7. Memories

~~~Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or any of the characters from it, but the original ones are mine. ~~~  
  
CHAPTER SIX: MEMORIES  
  
FLASHBACKS  
  
A girl of around 12 with raven hair went to the middle of the small room to her sister of 7 years of age who was huddled on the floor.  
"Naiya, is Mommy going to be okay?" the seven-year-old girl asked.  
"Of course, sissy. What's making you think she wont?"  
"I hear here saying she's hurting a lot. I don't want her to die."  
"You dummy!" The twelve-year-old laughed. "She's just having a baby! I hope it's another girl. Boys suck."  
"I want a brother. A big sister is too much for me."  
  
Naiya laughed. A woman with graying hair came into the room smiling. Both girls faced the woman.  
"Obachan, what happened?" the girls asked in unison.  
"Your brother was born. Would you like to see him?" Obachan asked.  
"Yes please!"  
  
Obachan silently led them behind a curtained door and into a dimly lit room. "Sasuki, your daughters want to see him. You know that it's customary for the women in the family to see the child after the mother does," she said to a beautiful young woman with silver hair who was lying in a bed.  
Sasuki nodded and beckoned for her daughters to come closer. The girls inched closer and peered at the small bundle.  
"ACK! He's a baldie!" the younger girl screamed.  
Sasuki laughed and kissed her on the cheek. "You silly thing. Most babies are bald when they first come into the world."  
"Oh, okay then. I'm glad I have a brother."  
"Me too, Totoi, me too." Sasuki looked up at Obachan. "Mother, where's Makoe?"  
"He's waiting in the other room. Would you like me to get him?"  
Sasuki nodded.  
Obachan came in holding onto the arm of a tall, perfectly built demon with raven hair Naiya had inherited.  
"Come here, Makoe, you must see him too," Sasuki said in her gentle voice.  
Makoe walked closer. His red cape trailed behind him. The grim look on his face didn't change even as he kneeled next to his wife and looked at the bundle. His green eyes flickered to Sasuki's face. "Another girl?" he asked. His voice was deep and powerful.  
"A boy. He'll grow big and strong like his daddy, won't you?" Sasuki kissed the baby in here arms, smiling happily as he cooed. "Hold him. You've got to quite being so touch and try to be gentle. Babies are delicate."  
"I know. Don't treat me like my son." Makoe's bearing finally broke as he looked proudly at his son. He smiled, making his handsome face glow with pride.  
"Daddy, what's his name going to be?" Totoi asked.  
"Toshi. That's what we'll call him," Sasuki said.  
"Will Toshi be as cool as Daddy?" Totoi asked, struggling to pronounce her new brother's name correctly.  
Makoe laughed, making his deep voice echo around the small room. "We'll see about that, little one. I'll have to train him when he's older, then we'll see if he'll be 'cool' as you say."  
Makoe looked at his wife with concern. "Sasuki, are you okay? Most apparitions like you die after they have their second child," he said under his breath so only Sasuki could hear. "True, you lived through both and you're still alive now, but if you die . . ." he trailed off.  
Sasuki waved the comment away. "Nonsense. I'm fine. Being around you for over 15 years has made me feel stronger. Maybe some of your strength has rubbed off on me."  
"I hope so."  
The two of them shared a kiss, much to Naiya and Totoi's deep disgust.  
  
~*~*~*~THREE YEARS LATER~*~*~*~  
  
Naiya ran into the house and screams for her parents. She collapsed on the floor panting. "Mother! Father!" she cried out.  
Totoi ran to her sister. "Naiya, what's wrong?"  
"Get Mother and Father, hurry!"  
Totoi ran into the bedroom where her parents where tending to Toshi who was sick with a rare disease. "Mommy! Daddy! Naiya ran in the house screaming and she wants you. It sounds really bad."  
Makoe walked briskly to where Naiya collapsed. "What happened?" he asked. He put a pillow under her head.  
"There's these people who have these big teeth and long arms that can turn into long vines. They said they're looking for apparitions. They said they need the apparitions for something. One grabbed me, held me in the air and said they saw in my blood that I was half one."  
"What did you do?"  
"The attack thing you taught me, I killed some, and I ran."  
"We're in danger," Makoe said, breathing with difficulty.  
"Naiya, your leg is dripping red!" Totoi said, reaching to touch her sister's leg. Makoe looked at it. The gash in her leg was deep, allowing blood to flow easily out.  
"Totoi, get some fresh water and some clean rags. We have to tie this up," he said to his other daughter. Totoi did as he asked. Makoe cleaned the wound as well as he could and wrapped it.  
"Sasuki, come here. Bring Toshi too."  
Sasuki came in with Toshi in her arms. "What is it?" She gasped at the sight of her eldest daughter. "W-what is it?"  
"From her description, an apparition hunter or two got hold of her. They saw that she had your blood. She managed to escape but I'm afraid she won't have use of her leg anymore."  
Naiya was still gasping for air. "I can't breathe! Make the monster's go away, Father! I don't want them to take me! DADDY!!!" Then there was nothing. With a shudder, Naiya fell silent. There were no more cries, gasps or anything.  
Totoi watched with fear. What wasn't she moving? She can't be asleep at a time like this! "Mommy, make her wake up. Why's she asleep? Is she sick?" she asked tentatively.  
Sasuki burst into tears.  
"Yes, she's very sick," Makoe said, putting a muscled arm around Sasuki and Totoi to comfort them. "She may not wake up for a long time." He knew he had to try and force the grief out of his heart so the rest of his family would try and draw strength from him. He needed to keep his wife, his remaining daughter and son alive.  
Totoi could sense the fear, grief and a whole lot of other emotions, but it was confusing to her. She was too young to be able to sort out all of these emotions to truly know what they were. The confusion was beginning to give the young girl a headache.  
Makoe took his cape and covered Naiya's body with it, allowing her face to show. It would have been an insult to her memory to cover her face which was beginning to blossom into breathtaking beauty. "Come, Totoi. We most go."  
"To where? There is no hiding place that demons and apparition hunters haven't discovered yet. If there were one, it would be too far away for us to get there safely without getting captured. Toshi is sick and Totoi is too little to know how to keep herself alive in case we . . ." Sasuki didn't have the heart to finish her sentence.  
"We'll figure something out. Get the medicine for Toshi and a few things we need. You know the usual."  
Sasuki went around getting everything. "Daddy, what's going on?" Totoi asked in a whisper.  
"If we live through this, I will explain everything to you," Makoe promised. He hugged her tightly, but not too tightly to crush her with his powerful arms. Hopefully the embrace would make her believe that everything was fine, but mostly he was trying to convince himself.  
Sasuki returned. She kneeled next to Naiya's body and put a bracelet around her wrist. "I was going to give this to her when she was seventeen and ready to get married . . .that would be in about two more years, but she's . . .oh well. It's rightfully hers." Sasuki put a necklace that matched the bracelet around Totoi's neck. "This is yours. You were to get it when you were fifteen, but I have a feeling that now is a good time to give this to you."  
Makoe sighed. "Sasuki, my dear, now isn't the time to be all ceremonial. We've got to get out if we want either of our children to be old enough to understand all of this. Come on!" Makoe took Totoi in his arms and began walking out the door.  
Something long and green whipped out, hitting Makoe across the chest knocking Totoi out of his arms. Sasuki helped the small girl up and handed Toshi to her. "Run, Totoi! You must run! You'll be able to hide in the bushes easily, you're still little." She handed her a small bag that contained food and Toshi's medicine.  
"Go!" Sasuki whispered again and pushed her daughter out of the room. Totoi didn't understand why her mother was banishing her when she always gave her a hug or kiss when she was hurt or confused. Now Sasuki was forcing her away with nothing that looked like remorse on her face. Didn't her mother still care for her?  
"But Mommy," Totoi whimpered. She grabbed the hem of her mother's robe. "Mommy, can't I stay here with you, Daddy and Naiya? You said she was awake so why didn't you make her come with me?"  
Sasuki fought back the tears. She once more wrapped her slender arms around her small child. "Naiya is sick, but you can't carry her like you can Toshi. I love you and you know that. I just want to make sure you run away. You have to be safe. Daddy and I will stay here to make sure everything's okay. When we're sure of that, we'll come and find you. Understand?"  
Totoi nodded bravely. "Yes, Mommy. But what do I do if everything's not okay?"  
Sasuki sobbed. Totoi didn't know how it felt to have your worst fear at the moment voiced by a small child who wasn't old enough to understand fear. "I-I don't know. Just go!" She shoved Totoi out of the room once again and turned to help Makoe.  
She didn't know that Totoi had looked around the corner in hopes to understand some of what was going on.  
  
The thing with long green arms looked gleefully down at Makoe who had been knocked over by a million or so green arms similar to the ones hovering above him. "You're a fire demon, aren't you?" it hissed. It sounded like a snake. "Yessss, you are. I can sssmell it. I believe I ran into your little girl. She sssmelled a bit like you. Sssshe should be dead now. While I'm here, I apologize and assssk for a favor."  
"What?! Leave my family alone!" Makoe said, standing up. He kept his hand at his side next to his scimitar.  
"I need an apparition. That lovely apparition behind you ssshould sssuffice."  
"Run, Sasuki!" Makoe bellowed before he pulled out his scimitar and killed the thing instantly. Soon the whole room was filled with lower class demons and apparition hunters. He killed all of those, but more soon followed them. An apparition hunter knocked the scimitar out of his hands.  
  
Makoe prepared to use his Spirit Energy, but more apparition hunters' vine arms bound him. Different vines snaked out to grab his arms and legs. They laughed gleefully and they pulled his arms and legs out of their sockets. A lower class demon cut Makoe's legs and arms off with his own scimitar. They threw his body to the ground, letting it die and stain the floor red.  
The hunters grabbed Sasuki and easily broke her neck. "Remember, she needs to be dead, but we can't let any of her precious blood leak out. We need all we can get," an apparition hunter reminded everyone behind it. They left, carrying Sasuki's body like a trophy and leaving the lower class demons to feast on Makoe's corpse.  
  
Totoi ran, not knowing exactly what happened and not knowing what to think. She hid in a bush that was like a tunnel inside. She sat there and waited. She hoped that her parents or Naiya at the least would come and find her to comfort her. Nobody came. She cried, making sure she could only sense Toshi near her. She didn't know what happened to her family, but she knew that she wouldn't see them ever again. She cried herself to sleep.  
  
It was a week or so when she noted that Toshi was getting worse. The medicine had run out. Toshi was beginning to whimper rather than cry out and seemed only to have the strength to cry. Totoi could sense that Toshi was hurting. This fact made her hurt as well, but she couldn't do anything. To try and ease the pain by putting him to sleep, she sang him a song she heard Sasuki sing many times. Once Toshi was asleep, she would touch her necklace to try and gather strength or hope from it. She knew that she had to find the plants that made up Toshi's medicine. She knew what they looked like because she saw Sasuki make the balm from them.  
Totoi finally found them near a dark window. She didn't sense anyone near so she picked an herb. The next thing she knew, she was lifted into the air. In the air beside her was a sleeping Toshi. She squirmed around enough so she could see what had hold of her. It was the same creature that had helped kill her father.  
The hunter cocked his head slightly. "You're part apparition, aren't you?" he said out loud. This hunter didn't sound like the other one Totoi had heard speak.  
"Yes, you have apparition in your blood alright. I can tell from your eyes and hair. You're going to be very beautiful when you grow older in five years or so. There's a good price on your head for even having a quarter of an apparition in your blood." The hunter frowned thoughtfully. "I don't think that I will ruin your good looks. Maybe Mistress will have some use of you."  
  
In the tower, a beautiful woman with long, raven hair with kitsune eats on her head was in a laboratory, mixing something that looked like blood with something powdery. She poured the concoction in a pot of soil that had a large flower planted in it.  
"Mistress, this child was trying to get some of your herb. She says she will work for you if you don't kill her or her brother," the hunter said, bowing respectfully.  
The woman turned and studied Totoi carefully. "Part apparition, aren't you, sweetie?" she said, lightly touching her hair and cheeks.  
"What's an apart-shin?" Totoi asked curiously.  
"Apparition, dear. That's what you are. You also seem to be part demon since you don't seem very afraid."  
"Um . . .my daddy can burn things!"  
"So half fire demon. Your mother was of the water, wasn't she?"  
"I guess so. Sometimes Daddy got mad and got stuff burned and Mommy made water stop it."  
The woman gestured for the hunter to set the two down. "I'll let you live here as long as you promise to work. Is that okay?"  
"Yes'm, but you gotta promise to help Toshi get better!"  
"Fine. Now you can begin by straightening the bottles with colored liquid in it. Put the same colors with each other, understand?"  
"Yup."  
  
=^.^= FIVE YEARS LATER =^.^=  
  
~~Before now there are tiny snatches of Azura getting yelled at, hit, starved, and bled to near death or sickness. There is also a snatch of Azura getting her Spirit Energy bound in a black orb. On her arm is a black band with purple symbols on it. ~~  
  
The lady smiles at a picture of Youko Kurama. "Still my adorable baby brother. Now show me where he is!" She was looking into a hazy mist of powder that could rearrange and change colors to show what she wanted. When she asked the question, the powder formed a red question mark. Azura stepped forward and asked to see Kurama's human form. It showed Kurama talking to Koji and some other people.  
The lady jumped out of her seat. "Why didn't I think of that?! Kurama is disguised as a human of around 17 or 18. He's going to a human school? What level won't he stoop to?!"  
Azura ignored the woman and played with a lock of her silver hair. Her attention returned to the woman when she said, "I'm giving you two months to bring him here. If you can't do that, your brother dies." The woman throws more powder into the air with a maniac laugh. "Now he and his pathetic friends will have nightmare-ish visions!"  
The woman runs out , leaving Azura to fall onto the ground on her knees, crying out of helplessness from the situation. She didn't anything bad to happen to Toshi and Kurama.  
  
=^.^= ~ =^.^= ~ =^.^=  
  
Azura withdrew her hands from Hiei and Kurama's. "Those are my memories. They haunt and torment me. I know I was only a child of then, but think about it. I had no idea of what to do because I was so young." She begins crying again because she had to see the deaths of her loved ones for the umpteenth time. "It was a year after I lived with her when I realized that my parents and sister were dead for sure."  
Kurama and Hiei both went to comfort her, but Hiei reached her first. He patted her back and let her cry. He and Kurama both felt the anguish she felt as an aftermath of the memory channeling, but it was slowly leaving the two of them.  
  
"I had no idea that it was that horrible. I knew you had seen death, but I never thought you had to see it when you were so young," Kurama said.  
Azura cried harder without meaning to. "Great job," Hiei snapped angrily.  
"No, it's okay. I finally got part of how bad I feel away from me. Thank you both for listening to me." Azura hugged the two of them and tried to stop her flood of tears.  
  
"So, your name is Totoi?" Hiei asked, trying to change the subject.  
  
Note~  
Pronunciations: Totoi (Toh-toy), Makoe (Mah-ko-eh), Sasuki (Sa-soo- kee), Naiya (Nai-ah)  
*Totoi is spelled wrong because it's supposed to have a line above the 'o' to draw out the syllable, so it's really supposed to be spelled 'Toutoi' if it was originally written in Japanese and had to be translated. Making sure you know. If you want to know exactly what Totoi means, check out the next chapter!  
  
~~Please review and flames are always accepted unless I say that they aren't! ~~ 


	8. New Home

Disclaimer: (Do I have to do this every chapter? * shrug *) Anyway, I don't own anybody off of YYH, but I own Azura, Jirime and whoever else you don't see or hear of on the cartoon and or manga.  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN: NEW HOME  
  
"That's just a name my parents called me when I was young," Azura said, answering Hiei's question.  
"I believe Totoi means 'precious', doesn't it?" Kurama said.  
"Yes. My mother said she nicknamed me that because of how delicate I was when I was born. Nobody but her expected that I would live but here I am." Azura smiled sadly at the memory.  
"All those things happened to you when you were at least ten! How did you keep from wanting only revenge?" Hiei asked.  
"Revenge never crossed my mind because I was too scared and too young to do much. Besides, I couldn't have killed anybody even if I wanted to because I was always watched closely."  
  
"Just a moment, if you don't mind," Kurama said. It was obvious that he was in deep thought. "I believe I know that demon that kept you as a slave. She's got dark hair-about Hiei's color-and she wears it long. It stops at the middle of her back. Am I correct?"  
"Yeah."  
"And she's beautiful in her own commanding way. When she is angry or displeased, the negative emotions seem to make her glow with an even more intense beauty. She also likes to stay in her human form with the kitsune ears that enable her to hear everything to a better extent. Am I still correct?"  
"Yeah. So you know her, right?"  
"I believe I do, but it's extremely vague . . ."  
"She's your sister!"  
Kurama laughed slightly. "No she isn't. I have had no sibling that I know of. Even if I did, she wouldn't come near me. Vixens are born instinctively to stay away from kitsune unless they are searching for a mate. That is an even bigger reason to stay away from me. Unlike other species, kitsune don't interbreed within their blood relations."  
Azura stared blankly at him. "What do you mean? I understand, but she stated that she was your sister."  
"There was this one female that seemed to enjoy tagging along with me. I tried to run her off. It only worked for a day or so, but when I outsmarted her, that would last a day or so as well. I believe she was infatuated with me. The way she came towards me was slightly suggestive, but I ignored her. Another reason I ignored her was that when I was busy trying to figure out how to steal a certain treasure I discovered, she would always trap me and tie me down so she could tell me of her love for me. Would you care for someone who tied you down to tell you something like this?"  
Azura shot Hiei an amused look. Hiei seemed to have turned deaf.  
"No why can't I remember her name?" Kurama continued in frustration.  
"Was it by any chance Jirime?"  
"Yes! That was the name! Jirime was the one that has you captive? That explains a lot, but why would she tell you that I was her brother?"  
"I don't know. Don't ask me! I don't want to hear her name or anything. I'm glad she made me go to find you because it's a reprieve from getting screamed at and tortured. I guess now that you know what I have to do, you wouldn't want to go to her then."  
"She's psychotic and sadistic. No normal demon, not to mention the dimmest of humans would want to go near her without a decent reason!"  
"You've GOT a decent reason!" Hiei interjected. "You know the consequences if you don't go to her. Azura's brother dies. Do you think she needs more of her family to die in front of her? If it were me in your position, I would help her. You would too if you cared."  
"I didn't specify that I would not help her! Knowing Jirime for so long has made me know what she truly is trying to do. This can't be a simple brief talk with her to catch up on old times. Something must be up her sleeve otherwise, she wouldn't use someone else to find me."  
Hiei shrugged. "I don't know and I really don't give a damn. I just know I have to fulfill a promise."  
Azura looked at Kurama. "So you'll go to her?"  
Kurama sighed, knowing that he'd eventually regret this. "I suppose I must. I don't want you to suffer anymore. You've seen far too much death in your young life."  
Not bothering to ask what he meant by that, she hugged the redheaded demon around his neck. "Thank you!" Kurama patted her back and tried to loosen her headlock. Azura turned and hugged Hiei too. "Thank you for sticking up for me!" Hiei awkwardly hugged her back.  
"We've got two months. Do we not? So why not make the best of it? I'll show you everything that you wanted to see, but after school days on some things. I have no choice of it and obviously, neither do you. It may be fun for you," Kurama said. He smiled at her.  
He suddenly stood up and brushed the grass off of him. "That reminds me. We've got to look at Miss Shida's house." His face contorted with sadness. "I don't see how she could perish. It was, of course, obvious. I could sense her Spirit Energy dwindling but it still pains me. I've known her for most of my human life nearly as long as my human mother."  
Azura stood up. "It could have been worse," she said gently. "You've still got a mother who loves you." She looked at Hiei. "You can come with us if you want to."  
"Hn. I'd rather not." Hiei gave her a curt nod and left.  
  
Azura held Kurama's arm to try and comfort him as they walked. She didn't pay attention to everything around her. She was more worried about the sadness that she sensed from Kurama.  
  
At the end of a long driveway lay a large house with three stories. Azura stared at it. "This is the house she gave to you?"  
Kurama nodded. "Yes, this is the house. I came here everyday to play with her grandchildren in the past. Now for some reason, she's giving it to me. I've recently been sort of like a son to her since all of her grandchildren have reached adulthood and left his city."  
"At least you have a place to live where someone loves you. You've got your mother to care for. I've got no one other than my brother who is so close to death," Azura said softly.  
"I'm objecting to that; you have just affronted me."  
"What? Why?"  
"You have someone! Me, for one."  
"You know what I mean! I wish I had my mother with me or my father at least."  
"Cheer up. You needn't be so pessimistic. I promise to do what I can to get your brother back," Kurama let go of Azura and pulled a loose brick out of the wall behind a shrub that was that was next to the front door. He got the key and opened the door.  
Kurama looked at everything. The furniture was obviously expensive. He sighed. "She loves to decorate with fancy and expensive things. I wonder what she's done to the master bedroom. Coming?"  
He turned around to find Azura looking intently at a picture that sat on the coffee table. He followed her gaze and studied the picture as well. The picture showed a woman with graying hair and a happy smile on her face surrounded by four children, three of whom had brown hair and showed resemblance to the woman. The fourth child had brilliant red hair and intense emerald eyes that were filled with tears for some odd reason.  
"Is that you, Kurama? With the red hair, I mean?" Azura asked at last.  
"Yes. I was around 6 years old. If you are curious, I was crying because the boy behind me was pinching my arm to make me mess up the picture and it worked, obviously."  
"Aw . . .look at how cute you were!" Azura smiled at the picture.  
"Were?" Kurama murmured, acting as if she had insulted him.  
"You still are I guess. You seem so perfect, though. You're always holding back your words, emotions and everything when you know that it's not the time to do or say something. It's funny to see you crying over something silly like getting pinched."  
Kurama raised an eyebrow at her. "I was six, mind you. SIX!" When Azura didn't respond, he continued to go to the master bedroom.  
  
The bedroom was painted and decorated to look like the outside night sky. The ceiling was painted a dark blue with faint streaks of purple and stars that perfectly matched the constellations. The walls were painted similarly, but trees and rose bushes were painted rather than stars.  
"She seemed to have gone through a lot of trouble to do all this," Azura said from behind.  
Kurama nodded. "She knew I liked to stargaze when I was younger. I only do it now when I have a lot on my mind. I suppose it happens quite often so I don't mind this. I never noticed how large this room was. Once we get our things, I want to introduce you to a few of my more intimate friends."  
"Are they humans?"  
"Two of them are. They have an admissible understanding and usage of their Spirit Energy, though. One of them possesses the sixth sense. There is a female that you may want to meet. She's an ice apparition-Hiei's sister."  
"Hiei and Yukina know each other but Yukina doesn't know that Hiei is her brother?"  
"Hiei has a death threat on anyone who tells her. Not that I'm afraid to die, but I don't want him to be against me when he's the only full demon that isn't afraid of me or my past."  
Azura fell silent. "We can move in later, couldn't we? It's not noon yet."  
"Yes, I suppose we can wait."  
  
They walked out of the house and locked up.  
"You honestly want to meet everyone before we move in?" Kurama asked.  
"Sure, right now? Unless you're embarrassed to be seen with me?"  
"That's absurd! Why would I be embarrassed of you?"  
"Idiots might think you're a freak because I look a lot different from other people."  
Kurama shrugged slightly and walked down the street from the opposite direction they came from. Azura gripped his hand tightly and froze in her tracks.  
"Don't tell me that this is the same street where those disgusting human boys were. We don't have to pass them, do we?"  
"We have no choice. This is the only way to get to the house."  
Azura groaned.  
  
They entered the street. The boy Kurama had kicked over the hedge was covered in bloody gauze and was leaning against a brick wall. His greasy haired cronies surrounded him.  
"Oh look, your favorite humans," Kurama murmured to Azura sarcastically.  
The boys spotted them and stood up straight, facing them. "If it ain't da babe wit super speed and da fag too! I know how fast ya go now, babe. How 'bout a rematch? I'll make show that yous only use dat speed when you's in bed wit me!"  
"Ugh. No way," Azura said, grimacing at what the boy was offering.  
"Wassa matta? Ya scared dat yous ain't gonna win ag'in?"  
"Oh yeah!" Azura exclaimed with sarcasm practically dripping from her words. "That's exactly what's wrong! Please let me pass this time!"  
The boy laughed. "Yep, you's a pretty smart babe, babe. But ya knows that I can't let you's go wit'out a proper fight! Maybe I'll let you's go but ya gotta spend the next few hours or so at my house." He chuckled.  
"I think not," Kurama said. He wore his trademark passive look on his face with his hands thrust casually into his pockets.  
"Ah, so da fag's gonna fight dis time, eh? Good. Dat means we's gonna get da girl wit no probs, right boys? Go at 'em!"  
Kurama stood casually and pushed Azura behind him. "I don't think you want to watch or get blood on you."  
The boy ran at him with full speed and fell into a straight line to attack him.  
Kurama watched with a bored expression. "Honestly," Kurama said in mock boredom, "They remember what I promised one of them last time yet they continue to run at me. Don't they know what normally happens when a human runs into a full-grown demon?"  
The first boy in line aimed a blow to Kurama's neck with a knife. Kurama grabbed the boy's wrist and twisted it sharply. The sound of a snapping twig was heard in the air.  
"I told you, did I not? If you came near either one of us, I would break your wrist," Kurama told the boy.  
"I didn't have a choice, mister! He was gonna kill me if I didn't attack."  
"Perhaps that is true, but you would have suffered an incredibly painful death if you came near me." Kurama pushed the boy away. "Just be lucky it wasn't your neck."  
The next boy spun his switchblade in a complicated whir, slicing at Kurama. Kurama met he boy's hand and reversed the momentum of the whir to make it slice deep into the boy's own hand. The boy growled in frustration and tried to cut at Kurama again. Kurama reversed the momentum again. Soon the boy's arm was covered in fresh blood that dripped down on Kurama's hand. He pushed the boy away, knocking him unconscious.  
The last two boys charged at Kurama in a pincer movement. Their switchblades slashed in the air, making it impossible to get between them. Kurama tripped them, catching them of guard. They bumped their heads together and fell unconscious. The boy covered in bandages gaped at him. "Da fag can ackshully fight? Ands he wuzzunt even fightin' hard!" He grinned. "I'm suh-prized. You ain't too bad. It'd be a shame ta kill you's and get you's girl, but I always gets what I want! I went easy on the chick 'cause she was a chick, since you's a male, we gonna fight like guys are supposed ta."  
Kurama shrugged. "I don't care; I'm bored. Please do something of interest."  
The boy ran at Kurama with astonishing speed and whipped out two switchblades in each hand. Kurama prepared to knock him over but suddenly felt himself weaken as if he'd been fighting a hard battle for a long time.  
Kurama fell to his knees. His head was beginning to pound with a painful rhythm. He clutched his head with bloodstained hands.  
"Bowin' down now, eh?" the boy jeered, slowing to a taunting swagger.  
"Suiichi!" Azura cried out. She reached out to touch Kurama who began moaning. The boy grabbed Azura's arms and pinned them behind her back. He held the switchblade near her throat.  
"No. . ." Kurama moaned. "Not now!!!" He collapsed onto the ground and lapsed into a vision. The last thing he was as he fell and his eyes rolled back was the boy sliding the blade across Azura's flawless throat.  
  
Tsuzuku  
  
~~Please R&R! ~~ 


	9. Meeting the YuYu Gang

DISCLAIMER: I don't own YYH, but I own Azura, Seyumi, Jirime, and anyone else that doesn't appear on the manga/cartoon.  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT: Meeting the YuYu gang  
  
(Vision)  
  
"Kurama, my beloved, you have to watch the apparition die. It's all your fault. IF you hadn't grown attached to her, she wouldn't have to suffer. I hate seeing you hurt, but it must be done. She has your heart, so she must die." A soft, gentle voice whispers these words into his ears.  
Soft lips touch his face. "What wouldn't I give to be the object of your perpetual affection? I've known you for so long and you, me. What is it that I haven't done?" Gentle hands stroke his cheeks and touch the zipper of his school uniform. "I can fulfill your greatest fantasies . . .your dreams, hopes and ambitions, yet you choose Seyumi over me."  
"She isn't like you. You're a cold-hearted murderer. I don't care for you--I never have! Why do you not understand?" he says with difficulty.  
The gentle hands reach for his throat in a threatening way then slowly withdraw. "Pitiful . . .pitiful . . .you're so valiant, Kurama. Why can't you admit defeat and crawl to me and my power?" the voice says sadly. The soft lips touch his face and throat.  
He pulls away as much as he can, but because he was chained to the stone wall, it wasn't successful.  
The small room fills with the sounds of sobbing. "How can you pull away from me?! I've loved you . . . worshiped you for hundreds of years and remained faithful to only you and yet you still pull away from me!" The shadow steps into the light that shines from the small window several feet above their heads.  
He looks into the light, expecting pain to come from it. It's Jirime who glares down at him. Jirime begins to sob again and falls to her knees.  
"Where is she? Where is Seyumi?!" he demands suddenly. Blood dripped out from a cut on his head. "What did you do to her?!"  
Jirime inches towards him and wraps her arms around him. She licked the blood off of his face. "She's being tortured. She's getting asked questions and cut with knives and other things that are making her suffer and slowly bleed to death. Yes, she's dying, my love and it's your fault!"  
He feels his heart wrench with fear and disgust at himself. 'I'm the one to blame . . .let me die of shame . . .'he thinks to himself. He thinks about Seyumi: her silky smooth silver hair and deep, sad blue eyes that would spark with happiness when he was able to make her life happier. All the kisses they shared . . .all the intimate moments were gone.  
"But what of you? Don't you wonder about yourself? Don't you want to live?" Jirime asks, holding him tighter.  
"It matters not," he says firmly. "Seyumi is dying. There is no life without her." His green eyes burn into hers. "Go ahead; kill me." (End of vision)  
  
Kurama felt something wet touch his face. He opened his eyes and saw Azura looking down at him with concern. He sat up, pulled her to him, and kissed her on the forehead. Azura was too surprised to react.  
"You haven't died!" he said with relief. He realized what he has just done and blushed.  
"Of course I haven't died! He's a human, a MALE human, mind you. After you fell, I slipped out of his grip and kneed him, so to speak."  
Kurama winced at the thought. "That isn't what I meant. You were dying and it was my fault."  
"It was just a vision."  
"It felt so realistic. You were getting tortured because Jirime thought I deeply cared about you and jealousy made her chain me against a wall. For some odd reason, she was whispering the strangest things to me," Kurama muttered with a shudder.  
"Like I said, it was just a vision."  
"Somehow I knew it was you who she spoke of though you were called by a different name. Is your true name Seyumi?"  
Azura fell back. The faint color in her cheeks left. "That was in your vision?!"  
"Yes. It's correct then?"  
Azura studied his green eyes that were looking at her curiously. "Yeah. That's my name."  
"Must I still call you Azura then? Seyumi is a very pretty name."  
"In front of the humans, you have to call me Azura."  
"You've done well in calling me Suiichi so I shall do the same for you." He stood up. "I think we should get going."  
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk weird?"  
"Kudos. You were the first to comment on the way I speak to my face. I've been living for a long time and because I'm stubborn, I have simply refused to articulate my sentences the same way everyone else would."  
  
~~~Kurama knocked on the door of an apartment. A boy with black hair slicked back and hazel eyes opened the door. "Hiya, fox boy! Come in," the boy said. "Everyone's here. Even Hiei decided to join us!"  
"What of your mother? Is she home?" Kurama asked.  
"Nah, she's out somewhere. She left a note saying that she'd be back around midnight, but in typical Mom-ese, it means she'll be back in a week at least."  
"Oh yes, I'm being impolite." Kurama nodded to Seyumi. "This is Yusuke Uremeshi. He's one of the boys I was telling you about."  
"Hello," Seyumi replied, bowing.  
Yusuke's sort attention span lengthened as his eyes averted to Seyumi. "Hm. . .you're a sexy looking thing. You new around here? There aren't much cute girls around here so you must be new."  
"Yeah, I just got here yesterday. Kurama's showing me around."  
"Kurama, huh?" Yusuke looked at Kurama. "Why isn't she calling you by your stupid human name?"  
"I'm not human," Seyumi insisted.  
"No shit that you're a fallen angel, but why don't you call him Suiichi?"  
"Yusuke, she's a demon. She's no different from Hiei nor myself," Kurama said.  
"Holy shit! I called a fucking demon sexy! What the hell is wrong with me?"  
"If you find her pretty now, perhaps you should take a look at her demon form."  
"Why, is she ugly?"  
"You'll see soon enough, I'm sure." Kurama entered the apartment, favoring Seyumi with one of his smiles.  
"Lemme introduce you to everyone. The idiot on the floor with the stupid haircut is Kazume Kuwabara. The chick with a ponytail is Botan, and the chick with the kimono is Yukina. The short guy in the corner with an obvious attitude is--"  
"Hiei. We've already met," Seyumi interrupted.  
Kuwabara looked up and all thoughts, if he had thoughts, were focused on Seyumi. "Hey Uremeshi, who's the new pretty girl?"  
Yusuke scratched his head, remembering that Kurama hadn't told him what Seyumi's name was. "Uh, I don't know."  
"You may all call me Seyumi, but my human name is Azura Hiratsuka," Seyumi replied.  
"Human name?!" Kuwabara gasped.  
"This is unfair. Why is it that you'll tell the humans your real name right from the start, but Kurama and I have had to wait to know what your name was?" Hiei scowled.  
"I recently had a very strange vision that gave me her name. I found that the name was correct so I resigned to call her Seyumi," Kurama explained.  
"Your name is really pretty," Yukina said smiling. "And you're really pretty too. The name matches."  
"Thank you," Seyumi said, returning the smile.  
Yukina studied Seyumi's eyes and hair color. "Aren't you an apparition? Or part of one?"  
"I'm half water apparition, half fire demon."  
Kuwabara crossed his arms and nodded. "I guess the only reason you're drop-dead beautiful is because you're an apparition."  
"Uh . . .thanks, I guess."  
Yukina smiled and patted Kuwabara on the arm. "He's such a clown. He says things like that to me all the time."  
Kuwabara's face turned the same color of his hair. "Oh, babe, I'm serious about what I say about you!"  
"Now hold the phone just a minute," Botan interjected. "I want proof of whether you're an elemental apparition or not."  
"Why?" Kuwabara asked.  
"We need to be aware of what kinds of danger we're going to have to put up with."  
"I don't get it."  
"Let me try to elaborate. Yukina was kidnapped because she is able to produce the priceless pearls. Because Seyumi is an elemental apparition like Yukina is, there is a good chance that she will be in danger. We need to be forewarned of what she is so we can be on guard," Kurama offered.  
"Bingo!" Botan said, grinning at Kurama.  
"No prob! I wanna see if she turns into a babe, more of a babe or really ugly like Botan," Yusuke said.  
"Hey!" Botan exclaimed.  
"Joking."  
Seyumi looked helplessly at Kurama who smiled apologetically and at Hiei who kept a passive look on his face that revealed nothing. "Fine. Just don't stare too hard. It makes nervous. I think Kurama is the only person that's seen me in this form other than one other person that's far away from here."  
Insinuating looks were thrown at Kurama who blushed. "What? I simply realized the obvious and she proved my suspicions. You all are acting as if I ordered her to strip before me."  
"Hn. Knowing how you act so perfect, maybe you doing that isn't much of a surprise to us all," Hiei said.  
"Hiei! That's very impolite! I'm ashamed at how you're acting," Yukina scolded. Hiei covered the fact that Yukina scolding him was hurting him more than physical pain.  
"Yeah, shorty. You ain't gotta get your panties in a twist because Kurama is finally showing that he's a guy," Kuwabara said.  
"I beg your pardon, but just what are you insinuating?" Kurama demanded.  
"SHUT UP!" Yusuke screamed. "Just shut the hell up, all of you! Can we get on with seeing Seyumi turn ugly or something? We aren't a bunch of sissy two-year-olds!"  
Seyumi flushed. "I'm going to do this quickly then."  
  
She cautiously took a step back and took a deep breath to steady her shaking hands and knees. She turned into her demon form. All eyes looked at her with adoration. Hiei's crimson eyes washed over her profile, practically drinking in all aspects of her and said nothing, managing to keep a passive look to him. Kurama looked at her with a barely noticeable smile on his lips that only Hiei's sharp eyes were able to catch. Hiei scowled and continued to study Seyumi.  
Kuwabara's jaw dropped. "You and Yukina should be sisters! You're both such hotties!"  
Yusuke stared at Seyumi with drool trickling down his chin. "Damn! You're hot! I don't give a shit if you are a demon! If you were to wear something like that but only skin tight and shorter, showing off your legs, I'd be so happy I'd die again." He brushed his shirtsleeve against his chin. "Would you turn around for me?"  
"No."  
"Like I was saying, Kurama, great choice for a girl friend! I shoulda known a smart guy like you would have great taste."  
"She isn't my girlfriend," Kurama said, not helping but smirking at Yusuke's words. "Though I must admit, I had no choice in telling two humans that she was."  
"WHAT?! WHY?!" Hiei growled.  
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Yukina said. "You see how Kazume and Yusuke reacted even when she was in human form. She would have boys nearly lining up just to get to her. If the two of them claimed to be 'going out', as you humans call it, then she would be safe from most of them."  
"Anyway, so what brings you to this part of town?" Botan asked.  
"It's a long story," Seyumi said. She returned to her human form but was still red from the amount of attention she had gotten.  
Kurama noted how uncomfortable she felt in front of everyone so he put comforting hand on her slim shoulder. "Let's go then. We have much to accomplish."  
Seyumi nodded. "You need to pack your things."  
"Whoa! Time out!" Yusuke exclaimed, making a T with his two hands. "What're you two talking about 'packing'?"  
"It is none of your concern," Kurama said calmly.  
"You're got your panties in a twist too," Kuwabara muttered.  
Kurama glared t Kuwabara, his emerald eyes glowing with a fire that made him shrink back.  
"Both of you, stop," Seyumi warned. "Leave Kurama alone."  
"Fine." Kuwabara snapped.  
  
Kurama nodded curtly and left. Seyumi followed him, shutting the door. She grasped his arm and stopped him from storming off. Her deep blue eyes studied his angry expression. "Kurama? What's the matter? Why are you acting like this?"  
Kurama shook his head and took her hand. "I don't know what came over me. Forgive me."  
"Are you sure you're fine?"  
"I'm positive."  
  
Hiei slammed the door and hard as he could, knocking it off of it's hinges.  
"What now?" Seyumi moaned.  
"Bakatare ningens . . ." Hiei spat. "They said that we demons must have something jammed up our asses. Kuwabara said it was worse for you, Seyumi, because you stuck up for Kurama when it was him who was in obvious danger. I was an inch from killing him but Yukina held me back. If she didn't have nightmares when someone gets hurt that she cares about in anyway, I would have killed him without mercy." He clenched his shaking hands to control his anger. "What the hell does she see in the bakatare?!"  
"I'll get him instead. I'm tired of people saying things behind my back. Nobody is going to hold me back, and don't stop me," Seyumi hiss angrily. She pushed the broken door aside with her Spirit Energy and stomped into the living room. She ignored everyone's stares and grabbed Kuwabara by the shirt. She lifted him up until his was just barely able to get to his fee and pulled her knife out to position it to his throat. 


	10. Crazed Girls

"I wonder what she'll do to him," Hiei said thoughtfully with his trademark smirk.  
"I get a feeling that she is going to kill him. We must stop her," Kurama insisted.  
"No, I think we should let her have her fun. All her anger and need for revenge has been bottled up inside her for all of these years so I think it's only right for her to let it all out of her system on Kuwabara."  
Kurama couldn't help but agree with him but he knew it wasn't right. He pushed past Hiei and entered the apartment.  
  
Seyumi pressed the knife to Kuwabara's throat. "Why couldn't you say that to my face, you asshole!"  
Kuwabara gaped at her. Seyumi seemed to be more like Yukina-shy, nice and would never resort to anything worse than lying. "Say w-what?" he stuttered. He was such a coward.  
"Don't play stupid! That's what I hate most about you humans!"  
Yusuke watched with surprise. He figured that this happen because Kuwabara couldn't keep his stupid mouth closed. He went up to Seyumi and grabbed one of her wrists. "Don't diss us humans like that! As for Kuwabara, he's not playing stupid. He IS stupid. Let him go, will you?" He tried to wrestle the knife out of her hand and was shocked to find how strong she was for how fragile she seemed to be.  
"I'm not going to let go unless he makes up for it with at least one or more of his internal organs or if somebody manages to keep me from killing him successfully," Seyumi growled.  
Yukina tried to be the peacemaker. "Stop, you all! Please Seyumi, let go of Kazume. He didn't mean what he said."  
"If he didn't mean it, then he shouldn't have let it slip out of his mouth! How would you feel if you were in my position?"  
"I suppose I'd be very upset, but it isn't that big of a deal, now is it?"  
"To me it is. I've been talked about behind my back all my life and I'm not about to let a worthless human do the same." Seyumi pressed the knife closer and closer to Kuwabara's jugular vein.  
"Let go or I'm going to have to hurt you and believe me when I say I don't want to give you a scar and make you ugly."  
"Do that, hurt her in anyway and your head will get ripped off and shoved up your ass hole," Hiei called.  
Kurama came from behind Hiei and wrenched Yusuke's wrists off of Seyumi. "Allow me to handle this," he said.  
"Meh, go ahead, fox boy." Yusuke backed away and sat down next to Yukina.  
Kurama gripped both of Seyumi's hands and managed to keep the knife from cutting deeper. "Let him go. It isn't like you to do this and you know it's wrong."  
"I don't care!"  
Kurama sighed. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders to restrain her. "Stop this now," he warned. Seyumi shook her head. She seemed determined to kill Kuwabara. Kurama began stroking her hair without realizing it. "Release him," he said gently, continuing to stroke her hair and lessened his grip to hold her gently against him.  
Seyumi's eyes closed. The knife clattered to the floor, her grip on Kuwabara lost. She slumped against Kurama.  
Yukina clapped her hands to her face and stared incredulously at Seyumi who seemed to be limp. "What did you do to her?! Did you kill her?!"  
"Of course not! I've done nothing to kill her," Kurama exclaimed.  
"Then why's her Spirit Energy so low? And when you demons turn into your fancy demon form, your Spirit Energy gets really powerful but when she was in hers, her Spirit Energy is about as strong as maybe Uremeshi now," Kuwabara butted in, determined to add his meaningless two cents worth.  
Kurama looked flustered. "I-I've done nothing!"  
"Hn," Hiei said with a smirk. "She isn't dead. There are thoughts going on through her head. She's thinking of his past."  
Seyumi opened her eyes and peered up at Kurama. "My father used to do that to calm me when I was younger," she sighed. For a second, everyone was afraid that she was going to start crying. Seyumi's lip trembled, but she managed to keep it under control. Kurama hugged her. "Let's go before you get another urge to kill Kuwabara."  
"Hn. If you let her, you wouldn't have to worry about her doing it again."  
"Watch it, shrimp!" Kuwabara snapped.  
  
Away from the apartment, Seyumi looked into the distance. "I wonder why I couldn't have died along with my parents."  
"I've often wondered why I haven't allowed myself to die when my existence only brought pain to those around me or the ones I loved," Kurama began, putting his hands into his pockets. "I've come to see that perhaps there is a reason to why I am alive. Perhaps there is a purpose to my existence but I have yet to find it."  
Seyumi said nothing.  
  
After unpacking his things in the master bedroom, Kurama stood up from where he had been sitting. "Seyumi, I'm done now. Where are you?" he called.  
"I'm on the window sill."  
"What?" Kurama went to the window and found Seyumi sitting on the windowsill with her legs dangling in the air playing with a necklace and two rings. He lifted her around her waist and set her on the bed. He looked at the jewelry in her hands.  
"These two are onyx rings. My parents gave me one to pass on to whomever I wanted to. My grandmother gave me this one but I keep in on the chain with my necklace. This necklace is the one you saw Mother give me in my memories. It's supposed to somehow react to Naiya's necklace but I'll never find out," Seyumi explained sadly. "I remember my grandmother telling me that it could be a sort of trial of light but I don't know how to make that happen."  
Kurama took the necklace from her and fastened the clasp around her neck for her. "We have a few hours until night. The view is better at night. Why don't we get you enrolled at school? I'm sure Koji has spread the word around that a beautiful new girl at school will be enrolled Monday."  
Seyumi looked up at him. "How do you do that?"  
"Don't worry. Because of my reputation at the school, I can do basically whatever I please and get away with my long absences."  
  
Kurama pushed open the doors of Sarayashiki High School. He greeted the few teachers that were there working. A chubby woman sat at the office. She looked absentmindedly at Kurama's vivid red hair. "The only 'perfect' student who's allowed to break strict dress code with his long hair. It's Suiichi, isn't it? What do you want?"  
Kurama's mouth opened his mouth to reply but the woman interrupted. "Your mother called enrolling some girl named Azura into this school. Is that lovely creature behind you it?"  
"Yes, it is. Could she get her schedule?"  
The woman handed it over.  
  
Seyumi stopped abruptly and watched Koji Watanabe and other boys play soccer in the soccer field. A group of girls were cheering him on. "Um, Kurama? What are the human boys doing?"  
"Hmm?" Kurama looked over at the field. "They're playing soccer. Those are only a few members of the team."  
"Are they supposed to run so slow after the round thing?"  
Kurama laughed. "That's how the humans run and the round object is a soccer ball."  
"So soccer is a game?"  
"Correct."  
"Do you know how to play?"  
"Naturally. I can ask if I can join in if you wish."  
Seyumi shrugged. "How much longer is it until nightfall?"  
"There should be a remaining hour or so at the least."  
"Then lets go." Seyumi turned towards the gate and walked in. Kurama smiled at her enthusiasm at wanting to understand human activities. He glanced up at the bleachers and immediately stopped.  
"Seyumi, I think we should do something else," he said with a barely noticeable grimace on his face.  
"Why?" Seyumi followed his gaze and saw the group of girls all cheering for Koji. "Human girls, huh? Are you scared of them?"  
"Not them in particular. I'm afraid that their undying worship will eventually kill me and the few hundred years I have lived would go to waste."  
"You lost me and what do you mean a few hundred years? You can't be that old!"  
"I'll explain about myself when I get a chance, but if you want to understand what I mean about the females, watch." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked out onto the field with a forced smile on his face. "Koji, might I join you?"  
The girls instantly shifted their attention to their red-haired muse. "Suiichi!" they squealed. "I can't believe he's here!!!" A few of them tried to run to him but were tripped by others. A girl with short black hair was first to reach him.  
"Suiichi, my muse, how are you?" the girl cooed and threw her arms around Kurama's neck.  
"I'm fine, and you, Tsuri?" Kurama asked, remaining polite even though his supply of oxygen was getting cut off.  
"You're so adorable when you talk all polite like."  
"Could you release me, please? My oxygen isn't running to my brain."  
Tsuri blushed and loosed her grip just a decimeter. "Uh, a little more, if you don't mind," Kurama said, choking.  
"Tsuri, you whore! How can you sit there and hug the boy! Get yer paws off of him!" a girl screamed. Within 10 seconds, the whole group of girls had some sort of grip on the fox.  
Seyumi couldn't help but laugh at how flustered Kurama was. She noted that Koji scowled briefly at Kurama and continued to kick the soccer ball into the air and head butting it into the net.  
She decided to save Kurama since she was growing bored and couldn't fight the slight pang of jealousy that she felt. She walked to the group of girls and silently looked at them all.  
"You've got an ugly hair color. What are you, albino?"  
"Yeah and your skin is whiter than the school walls. Ever heard of sunlight, Snow White?"  
"You don't deserve to be around Suiichi. You make him look bad."  
  
Seyumi didn't understand what they meant by Snow White, but she knew enough about humans to know that she was getting insulted. She kept her anger down and cocked her head slightly. "Just get off my boyfriend and nobody will get hurt."  
"What . . .?" Tsuri murmured. The girls all let go of Kurama in surprise who was in equal shock.  
Seyumi pushed through the stunned girls and stood face to face with Kurama who was massaging his sore neck. She sighed and brushed a strand of red hair from Kurama's face. "You're so cruel to me, Suiichi," she murmured in a sad but somehow seductive voice.  
Kurama began to sweat, amazed at how she could work that out.  
"I've been loyal to you haven't I? Here you say you want to play some innocent soccer with your friends and you were really trying to replace me with . . .them."  
"T-that's u-untrue," Kurama stuttered. Her voice was making him sweat profusely. He cleared his throat and regained his lost composure. "I love you. Why would I replace you?"  
"Do you?" Seyumi asked. Kurama was wondering if this question had double meanings. "Don't do that to me again. Promise?"  
"I promise. Forgive me for not realizing my idiocy." Kurama kissed her delicately.  
"You're forgiven. Lets go before you do something silly." She took his hand, fingers laced, and allowed Kurama to lead her out.  
  
The minute they were out of site, Seyumi released him. "Point taken! I was afraid if they were going to suffocate you."  
"Ah, but I'd probably return in a different form. Hopefully my reincarnated body wouldn't draw attention as I have in this form."  
  
At the mountain, they sat on the bench and watched the sunset.  
"It's beautiful," Seyumi said. "If never seen the sky turn that color. But it's so cold."  
"At this altitude, of course it would be!"  
"I don't know things like this. Don't make me feel worse."  
"Worse?"  
"The girls at the field said that my skin and hair colors were ugly. . ."  
"Don't let them get to you. The color is strange but exotic. It suits you. Your features together have created something beautiful." He touched her creamy skin.  
Seyumi didn't say anything. "You shouldn't be so nice to me. I don't deserve it."  
"Why not? It's the truth."  
"I might get you killed." Seyumi avoided his questioning stare and stood "Lets go.  
  
Back at the house, Seyumi sat brushing her hair. All of a sudden, she felt cold and darkness washed over her. She didn't notice that she had fallen to the floor and blacked out. Kurama came in and found her sprawled on the floor with her hair covering her face. He kneeled beside her and gathered her into his arms.  
"Seyumi! Wake up! Are you okay?" he insisted softly. Slowly, Seyumi opened her eyes and saw Kurama.  
"No, I'm not."  
Kurama ran his fingers lightly on her scalp feeling for any damage. "Did you fall and bump your head?" he asked.  
"No. . .my vision. Jirime said that if I didn't get you out to her within 48 hours, Toshi would die. What do I do? I don't want Toshi to die but you. . .you don't know what she'll do to you." She stood and pulled a jacket on over her clothes. "I need to think, Kurama. I'll be back."  
"But Seyumi--" He didn't get to finish. Seyumi had already ran out the door and into the night.  
  
Tsuzuku 


	11. Karasu Mori

Without thinking, Seyumi had run to the forest where she first met Kurama and Hiei. She sat under the ancient oak tree that Kurama had collapsed under when one of his first visions had hit him. She sat with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. "I should've told them right off that she wants Kurama dead, but I didn't know anything about him. I didn't know that he would be so kind to me. I didn't know that I'd actually start to care about him. Now I understand why she loves him." She sighed and buried her head in her arms that were now folded on her knees. "I'm so stupid."  
Hiei happened to be walking into the forest. He drew his katana and spotted Seyumi. He thought she was a human and quickly sheathed it as he slipped silently into the shadows.  
Seyumi sensed his Spirit Energy. She looked up and peered into the shadows where Hiei hid. "Hiei? Is that you?"  
Hiei instantly walked to her, glad to see that, for once, Kurama wasn't at her side. He sat beside her. Even in the dark, he could see her sad expression, accentuated by her eyes that were so sad but attractive. "What's the matter? You don't seem like you're in a happy mood." He glanced around him. "Where's Kurama?"  
"At home. I left so I could be alone and think."  
"Do you want me to leave?"  
"It doesn't matter. If you want to, go ahead. I won't get upset either way so do as you wish."  
Hiei, of course, stayed. "So, are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you going to sit there?"  
Seyumi sighed deeply. "Remember when we first met? You asked if Jirime would kill Kurama if she got hold of him."  
"And?"  
"The thing is that she really does want to kill him. She said she was going to kill him for abandoning her earlier on in their life. I really don't know what to do. If I don't get Kurama over there, Toshi will die but I don't want Kurama to get killed. I know Jirime won't be the nicest thing to him for abandoning her. I care so much for both of them. Right now, I'm stuck between both of them. Bring Kurama, Toshi lives but Kurama dies. Don't bring Kurama, Toshi dies but Kurama lives."  
"If what Kurama said about her worshipping him is still true after all these years, then I don't think we have to worry about him very much if he does go to Jirime."  
"Yeah, but . . ."  
  
"If you are that vexed for your younger brother's safety, then I shall respect your wish for him to live. We can leave early tomorrow morning. Whether the vision you had is true or not, I will go with you even if my life is at risk," said an even voice from behind. It was Kurama.  
"How long were you there?" Seyumi asked.  
"Only a moment ago. I heard enough to know what sort of situation your in, mind you. Please don't be irritated at me. I only wish for your contentment. It hurts me to see you unhappy since you have been that way for most of your young life."  
"See, I told you that you were being too nice to me. You don't have to go. I get this feeling that Toshi is dead anyway."  
"I am going to go nonetheless. There is a possibility that your sibling is alive. We will go no matter how slim this possibility is do you understand? You mustn't be so pessimistic all the time. If both of us makes it through alive, I will show you that there are things in life to be happy for."  
Hiei grimaced at the show of emotion and stood. "I'm going too. I already promised you that I'd help you, even if it killed all of us." He almost looked eager to get Kurama killed.  
"Thank you very much. Some day, I'll repay you both for your kindness to me."  
"Don't worry about it. Where's Jirime's hideout anyway?"  
"It's a tower deep in Karasu Mori," Seyumi answered Hiei.  
"That's a bit far, isn't it?" Kurama remarked. "That's three towns away, at the least."  
"She ran the distance and still had the strength to fight me that first night she met us," Hiei remarked, almost as if he had done it himself.  
Kurama smiled and put his thumb and forefinger to his chin. "Ah, I remember it, but it is rather vague in my memory. After I woke from the vision I was having, I do believe I recall Hiei having you pinned down like an insect and was doing something . . .what was it? Osculation, perhaps?"  
"Oh shut up," Seyumi exclaimed. She blushed.  
Hiei uttered his trademark, 'Hn'. "Enough about that. If we walk the distance, it'll take a while, won't it?"  
Seyumi shook her head. "No, I think there's a short cut but there's dangers there."  
"Like what?"  
"Like wolves, but they don't bother anyone unless we bother them."  
"Then we walk," Kurama said, settling the issue. "I will allow Yukina to stay at my house for the time I am gone, just incase we need her abilities to heal."  
"I know how to heal injuries too!" Seyumi interjected.  
"Yes, I know. What if all of us are hurt and you are in worse shape, you cannot heal us without risking death. My visions foretell me of something harming you and nearly killing. I hope those aren't true but we need a backup plan."  
Seyumi bowed her head. She didn't see why Kurama was ready to walk face-first to his obvious death for her sake. She looked back up and Kurama who wore a barely noticeable look of determination on his face. "Then we can meet at sunrise at the outskirts of town. There's a tree there with certain markings on it. It almost looks like a face carved into the base. It's not hard to miss."  
Kurama nodded. "Agreed.  
"Hn," Hiei said. It was his way of agreeing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~~*~*~  
  
Back at the house, Kurama dialed Yusuke's number, hoping Yukina would be there. She was. He told her everything she needed to know and hung up. He turned to Seyumi. "She's able to come tomorrow. That's a good thing to know."  
"Good," she responded with no emotion.  
"Is there an issue that I may be able to fix?"  
"No, just go to sleep. You need what rest you can get." She sighed deeply.  
"I don't think I can get to sleep. The prospect of seeing Jirime almost scares me, especially when you may die because of me."  
"What do you mean?! It's the other way around! If you never met me, you wouldn't have to put up with this or any of this."  
Kurama smiled his half smile and wrapped a few strands of her silky, silver hair around his fingers delicately. "Whether I die or not, I am truly glad I got to know you. It doesn't matter if I die. The fact that you're alive and that I met you will be enough to fill my heart with contentment." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers without a second though. He climbed the steps to his room.  
Seyumi curled up on the couch to get her thoughts straightened and ended up falling asleep.  
  
Early the next morning, Kurama went downstairs to see if Seyumi had fallen asleep on the couch, whish she had. He sat beside her and stroked her smooth cheek, carefully taking in everyone one of her beautiful and, in his eyes, perfect details. He wanted something to remember if he was ever alone and suffering. The sight of her was enough to push all that away. At last he shook her lightly. "Seyumi, we must leave soon.  
Seyumi jerked awake. "Thank you. I would have kept sleeping," she said through a yawn.  
  
At the edge of town, Kurama was surprised to see Hiei already there, properly dressed in his battle attire.  
"Finally. I was wondering if you were going to appear this ningen year!" Hiei snapped. He rearranged his white bandana that hid his Jagan eye.  
"I'm in awe to see you here early, Hiei," Kurama said honestly.  
"Cut the jokes, kitsune, and let's go." He nodded a greeting to Seyumi who smiled warmly.  
Seyumi led them down a trail so covered with undergrowth that the trail itself was barely seen. 'The road less traveled by,' Kurama thought, remembering a poem he had to recite in his 7th grade of school. They took several sharp turns and within an hour, they made it to the edge of a forest with a large stone marking it.  
"What does it say?" Hiei asked, unable to see it with both Kurama and Seyumi blocking his view.  
"Karasu Mori. There's a subscript you can barely read it says 'all who enter shall die a slow and painful death'," Seyumi read.  
"Seems fun," Hiei said sarcastically.  
"Yeah right. There's going to be big crows at least your size, Hiei and I'm not trying to make fun of your height or anything."  
Hiei shrugged. "Bring it on. I don't care."  
  
They walked forward. A huge flock of crows the size of Hiei came flying at them when they caught sight of Hiei. Hiei was the first to walk through.  
"Your face must have upset them," Kurama noted.  
"You always pick the stupidest times to joke," Hiei snapped and whipped out his katana.  
"Quit bickering!" Seyumi demanded.  
Within a minute, thousands of dead crows lay on the ground. Kurama brushed dust off his shirt and put away his rose whip. He looked over at Seyumi who was sheathing her knife. She threw her hair over her shoulders to it's normal position and continued walking. Kurama's eyes roved down her slender but lithe body and noticed the gentle swaying of her hips and she walked.  
For a moment he wondered what it would be like to know what it would feel like to have her body against his own, for her body to belong to him and only him for him to touch, taste. . .  
"What the hell are you staring at?! Get your ass moving before I drag you after us," Hiei snapped.  
"What? Oh, my mind was running an unusual course," Kurama said distantly and continued to watch Seyumi walk.  
"Yeah, maybe it's called love," Hiei said sarcastically. He knew what Kurama was thinking, basically, and what he felt like towards her. He felt the same way.  
"Love?" Kurama murmured and continued to walk.  
  
TSUZUKU 


	12. In Jirime's Clutches

They stopped at the gate of the tower. Standing guard were two humans holding guns. The guards looked over at the three of them.  
"Let me handle this. If I need help, you can go ahead and kill them. I doubt you need to help me, but in case," Seyumi said throwing the two demons a wink. She turned into her almost too-beautiful demon form, throwing her ocean colored hair casually over a slim shoulder and began to walk towards the human soldiers.  
The humans stared hungrily up at her, practically drinking in every aspect of her.  
"I came with the prisoners. Jirime's expecting me so if you don't mind, get out of my way," Seyumi said cheerfully.  
"Uh, ain't there only supposed to be one?" one asked.  
"The smaller one's my pet. You know how lonely a girl like me tends to get in a big tower all alone." Seyumi gave them a seductive smile, making both the human soldiers drool slightly.  
  
Hiei was wondering how he should feel about what Seyumi had said, not that he exactly minded being her pet. In fact, if that were an option, he'd gladly step up to her expectations. He caught the amused grin Kurama gave him. The smaller demon scowled at the red haired fox.  
  
"No p-pets allowed," the other guard said with difficulty. His hands were itching to work their way around Seyumi's body.  
Seyumi looked towards him appealingly and inched unnoticed near him. "Oh, but you must understand how lonely I get. It's so dark and dusty, I need to get some fun from somewhere," she said with a fake sigh.  
"Geez, all you had ta do was come down here and talk to me. I can do loads better than the little boy there. I can ease your loneliness anytime, anywhere, how you'd like it," the human offered.  
"Hey!" the other human sputtered. "You slob, we can share. Like she said, it's really lonely up here in these parts!"  
Seyumi blinked slowly, fingering a strand of her silky hair. She smiled at them. "I'm sure I can handle you both. It's pointless to fight over little ole me." She ran a finger down the bridge of their noses. The humans leaned forward towards her eagerly, hoping to get a kiss. She pressed a finger to both of their foreheads. In a second, both men fell to the ground dead.  
"Well, their dead. Come on, you two." She began to turn and noticed that they weren't following her. She turned and saw the two demon's stunned looks. "What is it?"  
"What did you do to the ningen?" Hiei asked slowly. His crimson eyes were wide open.  
"I killed them." Seyumi didn't understand what Hiei was asking. Wasn't it obvious?  
"Perhaps the appropriate inquiry would be HOW did you kill them?" Kurama said.  
"I focused my energy through my body and into their minds. Once my Spirit Energy was in their brain, I could control everything they did. I killed them. It's a trick I learned from my mother when I was young. I watched her kill some people that way."  
Kurama's lips twitched in a helpless smile. This girl was truly amazing. He found out something new about her everyday. It would be a joy to be around her in later years. He and Hiei shot each other a look, knowing that the other felt the same as they did.  
After climbing the stairs leading into the tower, Seyumi stopped abruptly. "I don't understand . . . where is everything?" she murmured.  
"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.  
"This chamber is usually full of something that was capable of killing me. It's empty, though," Seyumi answered, returning to her human form. "Or maybe it was that way because it prevented me from escaping."  
They walked onward and stopped again. Seyumi looked up. "Something big is coming. I hope it's not something bad."  
Kurama sensed a large Spirit Energy a few seconds after Seyumi voiced her sentence. Seyumi pulled him and Hiei to the ground about 10 seconds before a stone fist crashed through the wall about their heads. The stone creature entered the chamber and stared down at Seyumi.  
"Well if it isn't the idiotic apparition," the thing growled in a deep, gravely voice.  
"Gorobe," Seyumi nodded. "Jirime told me to report you whenever you made another hole in her precious tower wall."  
"I wouldn't say anything if I were you. You're brought two humans into this tower and they aren't bound or tortured or anything. You know the rules."  
Seyumi grumbled under her breath, knowing that no reasoning, whether true or untrue, would get through the things stone head. "I'm supposed to bring them to Jirime. It was an order."  
"Riiight."  
Kurama noticed the frustrated look on Seyumi's pretty face. He pulled out a rose incase she needed his assistance. Only his rose whip could get through the stone.  
"A stupid rose? If you're feeling that feisty, you shouldn't use a flower," Gorobe said laughing.  
Seyumi smiled sympathetically at Kurama. "Gorobe, you can deal with me later. Just let us through."  
"No, the last time you said that, I woke up a week later without my tail." He looked at Kurama who held his rose whip beneath his nose. "Why don't you and your pretty flower fight me? If you loose, I get to have you for lunch."  
"Agreed. If I win, you must allow us to pass if you don't win against me," Kurama said and held his rose whip above his head.  
"Fine."  
With the flick of his wrist, Kurama's rose transformed into his trademark rose whip. "You may make the first move."  
"You're gonna regret that, pretty boy." Gorobe sent his stone arm crashing into the ground above Seyumi, trying to distract Kurama. Hiei gripped Seyumi around her waist and pulled her out of harm's way with his super speed. Gorobe's arm left a large groove in the ground.  
Kurama used his rose whip to turn the stone arm into dust. He flipped into the air, landed on Gorobe's broad shoulders and did the same to the other arm. He pulled the thorny whip around the thick neck. "You have two remaining limbs and your head is next. I propose that you give up."  
"Okay! Okay!!! I GIVE UP! PLEASE LET ME LIVE!"  
Kurama removed his whip and landed on the ground. Gorobe ran off, leaving holes in the ground in place of footprints.  
"Hn, you're too soft. You could've killed the thing and you did," Hiei complained. He didn't remove his hands from around Seyumi's waist. He liked the way his arms felt as ease at her touch.  
"Don't start an argument you too," Seyumi pleaded and gently removed Hiei's hands from about her waist.  
  
After several flights of stairs and empty hallways and chambers, their pace began to slow. Once they reached a marble staircase and a carved wooden door, Seyumi reached out to open the door. Her hands trembled. "I'm scared of what'll happen," she admitted. "This place is usually full of apparition hunters or some kind of weird creation of Jirime's. Something is going to happen for the worse."  
"We have no choice but to continue. We came this far," Kurama said gently. He took her free hand and squeezed it gently.  
Seyumi squeezed his hand in return and opened the door.  
  
~~**~~**~~**  
  
"Ah, Seyumi, you're here early. I expected you to return at the last minute like the idiotic child you are," a female voice said. It was obvious that the voice came from someone who was pleasing to the eyes. "Now what did I say about your human form being a disgrace to my presence?"  
"Yes, Jirime," Seyumi muttered and turned into her demon form. Kurama and Hiei noted the flame of hatred burning in her eyes.  
"That's a good girl. I'm very proud of you. You managed to bring my dear brother back to me in good shape."  
Seyumi's eyes were focused on the floor. "Please don't hurt him. If you're going to kill him, kill me instead." She didn't want to release the reassuring hand that was Kurama's.  
"We'll see. I see that you have a tag along. Bats! Get the short one and do as you please."  
A group of bats came flying out of nowhere. These bats were red in color with human hands in place of clawed feet. Hiei killed as much as he could but with hundreds at him at once, he didn't have a chance. He managed to replace his katana before the bats took hold of him. In his struggle, his hand band was torn off, revealing his Jagan eye.  
"Wait! He possesses the Jagan eye!" Jirime went to Hiei who was held tightly by the deformed bats. She lifted his chin and studied his face. "You have your own charm and I admire that you came here without flinching but you have nothing against Kurama. Once you die, your Jagan eye will belong to me. All the pain you went through will be completely wasted. TAKE HIM AWAY!"  
The bats hauled Hiei out of sight. Jirime spun and faced Kurama and Seyumi. "Seyumi, go to your room. If I feel generous enough, I'll allow you to visit them." She snapped her fingers. "Bind the fox!"  
An apparition hunter came and tied Kurama's hands behind his back. Another one appeared for back up. Kurama turned into Youko and fought, managing to release himself. More apparition hunters and lower class demons came and kept him from fighting back.  
Seyumi desperately wanted to see what was happening to Kurama but the group of demons blocked her view.  
"I knew you would pull that stunt. Now your energy is bound," Jirime cackled. "Take him to the Cell of Starvation!"  
"Don't!" Seyumi cried. "Please don't hurt him."  
"Get to your room before I kill you!"  
Seyumi watched the hunters drag Kurama away. She went to her room and covered her face with the pillow that was on her small cot. She felt that nothing could go right in her life. 


	13. Youko

Seyumi sat dismally on her bed, looking out of the tiny barred hole in the wall that served as a window. Something nudged her arm, something small and furry. She looked down and saw a small animal about the size of a half grown cat with golden fur. She smiled and scooped the thing into her arm, stroking it.  
"Akino, I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I almost forgot about you!" Seyumi cooed.  
Akino looked like a nine-tailed fox but her face was more rounded and a tuft of fur grew on the tips of the pointed ears. All nine of her tails shifted around happily at seeing her master.  
"Did you miss me?"  
Akino rubbed her head against Seyumi's forearm once to indicate that she did. Seyumi smiled and buried her face into the bundle of fur. "I missed you too."  
  
~~~*  
  
Youko was thrown harshly into a cell and chained in an uncomfortable position against the stone wall. He was halfway between standing and halfway between sitting. "What are you going to do to me?" he asked.  
A demon with a green tail shrugged. "I don't know. Mistress hasn't given us orders yet. I believe she wanted to speak to you before she decides on it."  
Youko scowled. "Can't you just kill me?"  
The demon grinned. "What joy that would be, wouldn't it? But not yet. . . it's not your turn." It left with a grin on its face.  
  
Jirime came in, looking breathlessly at Kurama's unusually good- looking demon form. "Do you remember me, Kurama? It's been over a hundred years."  
"Of course I remember you. You were the only one stupid enough to torment me during my original childhood."  
Jirime ignored the remark. "I'm happy to know that you haven't forgotten." She sat on a stool beside him and beamed at him. "Are you comfortable?"  
"No, not really. I would prefer to either sit or stand but seeing as I'm somewhere between doing one or the other, my legs are falling asleep."  
"Poor thing . . .I'll make it go away." Jirime touched both of his knees. Youko couldn't feel his legs at all. His knees buckled under him. "There," she replied happily.  
"This is hardly what I meant."  
"At least you don't feel anything. Now, lets catch up on old times."  
"First, I have something to inquire. We are not of relation so why did you tell Seyumi that I was your brother?"  
"So she wouldn't feel too sorry for you. All apparitions have a worthless pure soul so sympathy would make her not go after you but I added a catch so she'd have no choice. Your life for her brother's. It seemed more of a deal rather than saying 'find my love or your brother dies'. It doesn't have a nice ring to it."  
Youko really couldn't understand the logic to what she was saying and decided to drop the matter. "You are clearly insane," he said.  
"No, I'm just really happy to see you." Jirime kissed him firmly. Youko pulled away, hitting his head on the stone wall. "Be good," Jirime warned and kissed his head.  
"I have a mind to rebel. I get no reprieve from this, do I?" Youko retorted.  
"I'm not torturing you, dear. Why would you say that?"  
"That is none of your concern."  
"Would you like to have the apparition visit you every once in a while?"  
"Seyumi?"  
"Of course her."  
"It would be nice." Youko looked up at her innocently.  
"Hm. Fine, I will allow her to talk to you twice a day. In return, I expect your cooperation and for you to behave when I'm with you."  
"Agreed."  
Jirime's beautiful face broke into a smile. "I'm a little busy so I'll deliver the news to her through one of my servants." She left, speaking rapidly to an apparition hunter.  
Youko silently shook his head. "Whether I'm physically tortured or not, I'll be able to handle it if Seyumi is allowed to speak to me."  
  
~~~*  
Seyumi sat brushing her hair, making it shine. The door to her small room burst open.  
"The mistress says that you're allowed to visit the prisoner twice each day," the apparition hunter said.  
"THE prisoner? What about both of them?" Seyumi exclaimed. Akino leaped onto the ground, baring her fangs at the hunter.  
"Only ONE! You may only visit the fox spirit." The hunter left.  
Seyumi stood up. "I hope Hiei isn't hurt. I can't check on him without a risk." She began to walk out the door. Akino leapt onto her shoulder. Seyumi smiled grinned. "You want to see Kurama too? He's really nice."  
She went down a long hallway. "I think she said he'd be in the starvation cell." She went down another long hallway and gazed into the cell. She saw someone with silver hair similar to her own, but she didn't see Kurama. "That's strange . . .I'm positive that she said that Kurama would be here . . ."  
  
Youko looked up, hearing her voice. "Seyumi!"  
Seyumi looked in. "How do you know my name?"  
"It's me."  
Seyumi entered the cell and looked down at him. "You're not Kurama." She stayed a good distance away. Akino hopped down and studied Youko curiously. The chains around him came off. He stood and rubbed his wrists.  
Seyumi inched further away. He was eerily good looking . . .almost too good-looking, Seyumi noted but that fact only scared her worse.  
Youko looked down at Akino with equal curiosity and lifted her up. "Were you able to do that?" He paused and wrinkled his nose. "No? Well, my name is Youko Kurama, Youko for short." Again he paused, listening to something Seyumi couldn't hear. "Akino is a pretty name."  
Akino blinked and looked back at Seyumi for a moment, then back at Youko.  
"Seyumi named you? I see," Youko said. Akino placed a tiny paw on his nose. Youko burst out laughing. "Thank you, I was never called good looking by something like you. You're beautiful yourself, Akino."  
Seyumi looked stunned. "How did you know her name?"  
"She speaks through telepathy. If you pay close attention, you can hear her. I'm able to understand her easily because her breed is closely linked to my own. She's half wolf, half fox."  
"You talk like Kurama, but who are you? Kurama never told me anything about being . . .some sort of creature."  
"I'm a fox spirit and I never got around to telling you. There were things that preoccupied me. I'm Youko, Suiichi's demon form. You can still call me Kurama if you want. It's hard enough to remember my human name to have to know two demon names for me." Youko turned to smile at her. "It's alright. I won't harm you, despite my reputation."  
His smile made Seyumi's stomach flutter nervously. She went up to him and studied his amber eyes. "It is you! I can tell from your eyes!"  
"That's odd. Doesn't my human form have green eyes?"  
"Yeah, but I meant what's behind them." Seyumi hugged him tightly, not sure whether to be afraid or happy that Youko was unnaturally good looking. "Jirime hasn't hurt you has she?"  
"No, she's been acting nicer than I remember. Perhaps she's changed." Youko held her closely.  
"I don't think she has. If she had, she wouldn't have thrown you and Hiei into a cell."  
"Hiei is capable of taking care of himself."  
"Then why don't I sense his energy? Does he know how to mask it?"  
"He only masks it when he's fighting something immense."  
"It should've made his stay with Yukina."  
Youko pressed his lips to her forehead. "That would only give him a bigger need to come. Relax. You should have more confidence in Hiei and myself. We don't go down that easily."  
Seyumi lay her head on his broad chest. "Something won't turn out right. I can almost smell it. Don't let your guard down."  
"Look at me," Youko murmured, gently lifting her chin. "Don't worry yourself into a frenzy. If you are harmed in anyway, I won't forgive myself." He touched her cheek. "If your beauty is marred in anyway, I may not care for you anymore."  
"That's cruel!"  
"It's a joke. Your beauty is only a small reason to why I feel infatuated towards you."  
Seyumi could barely trust her ears. "W-what? Infatuation?"  
Youko barely twitched. "My words came out wrong. You know what I meant."  
"Yeah, that's okay." Seyumi blushed. It was fine for him to goof up when saying something. It only showed that he wasn't perfect. But if she really felt that it was fine, why did she feel a deep disappointment?  
"Don't worry about me. Find your brother and help him. We didn't come here for nothing. If you can, find Hiei too. He won't get off easy."  
"I don't know where Hiei is."  
"You'll find him." Youko took her hands in his to reassure her. "Find your brother and Hiei and leave. I'll find my way back."  
"But--"  
"Promise me."  
"I can't! I don't want to leave you here with . . .Jirime!"  
"I'm fine. Find Toshi and Hiei." He touched her back.  
"Fine, fine, but I'm still going to make sure Jirime doesn't keep you locked here forever!" Seyumi released his hands and kissed him. "I honestly hope that you'll be alive whenever I get to see you again." She turned and left with Akino.  
The minute she left the cell, the chains snapped back on Youko's wrists. "It must be Jirime," he scowled. He shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable.  
  
"Yes, my beloved. I have been watching you," Jirime said silently. She had used the mystical black powder to watch Seyumi's visit. "You let your words slip. That's not the Youko I knew. You were always so well spoken." She sighed and hung her head. "You may not realize it just yet but you love her and she cares for you. I can't help that but I can stop it to an extent. If she's dead, you can't love her. With the Plant of Torment, I can bend your mind."  
She stood up. "Get Seyumi and take her to the Torture Arena." She spoke to a few of her demon servants and gave them strict directions.  
It left with a grin splayed on its ugly face.  
  
Seyumi went down a long hallway where she knew her brother was. As she neared the door, she felt Akino's fur bristle. She looked down at her. "What is it?"  
A hand, or a claw more like it, clamped down on her slender shoulder. "I said you could only visit the fox spirit."  
"Did you? Well this is my brother's room. I'm allowed to come here."  
"Don't try mind games on me. Mistress wants you to go to the Torture Arena."  
Seyumi backed away. "What? Why the Torture Arena?! What did I do this time? I didn't go anywhere near Jirime's experiment room!"  
"It's not that. It's something else." The apparition hunter grabbed her around her waist and dragged her off.  
  
In the Arena, Seyumi was chained against the wall on her knees. Akino was spared of the chains. "Run, Akino," Seyumi hissed. Akino mewed something and ran.  
  
"We were given orders to question you," an apparition hunter said to her, turning his arm into a literal razor-edged vine.  
"Okay," Seyumi replied uncertainly.  
"Wrong answers will be penalized by my arm. Note that it can cause pain."  
Seyumi nodded. This made some sense.  
"Correct answers will be penalized."  
"What? That's unfair!"  
"That's not my problem. Mistress gave us the orders to have our fun with you until you're an inch from death. First question: have you ever done anything inappropriate to the prisoner?"  
"No!"  
The razor-edged vine tore across Seyumi. "Next question: What all do you hide in this tower?"  
"I don't hide anything! Where could I hide something in this tower without one of you idiots knowing?"  
The hunter took no notice of what she said and swiped at her repeatedly until blood poured out of her. Seyumi made no sound as each painful hit drew more and more blood. All she did was wince occasionally but no sound left her pursed lips.  
"THIS - ISN'T - ANY - FUN!" The hunter snarled in between slashing at the apparition. "You won't make a sound!" It stopped and glared at her. "You're beautiful and you can withstand all this. I wish you didn't have to die. I've said it before." With his free hand, he stroked Seyumi's cheek with a claw.  
Seyumi snapped her head away, attacking him with a concentrated blast of Spirit Energy. "Shut up," she said firmly.  
The hunter hit her with the vine again. "I hope Jirime is having more luck torturing the fox."  
"Jirime is torturing Kurama?" Seyumi asked, lifting her head.  
"Yeah. The shorter demon is supposed to be dead about now. The bat's teeth have pretty powerful poison."  
Tears fell involuntarily down her face, mingling with the blood. "No. . .I'm sorry Hiei. I didn't want either of you to get hurt!"  
The hunter grinned. "Ah ha! Now your bearing breaks! I've found your weakness!" He sliced at her again. 


	14. Torture

The cell door creaked open. Youko looked up curiously, wondering if Seyumi had already found Hiei. He was disappointed to find that an apparition hunter was standing with a knowing look on its face.  
"Hello, prisoner," the hunter said in a too-cheerful voice. Youko continued to stare at him. "I hope that your friends will have as much fun as you will."  
"What are you going to do with them?"  
"Other than kill them you mean? Nothing. They're supposed to get killed. Do you have any other stupid questions? No? Good." The hunter sat cross-legged. He snaked his arm toward towards Youko and turned it into a razor edged vine. "The Mistress and I watched the apparition's visit with you. You like her, don't you?"  
"Naturally. It's not hard not to 'like' her," Youko said matter-of- factly.  
"That's not what I mean! You love her!"  
Youko stared at him. Did he love her? He wasn't really sure of the word. He loved Shiori but she was his mother but Seyumi was different. He didn't know.  
"I don't hear you," the hunter taunted.  
"I don't know."  
"You can't lie!" The vine sliced deeply into his stomach, tearing his pure white robes and drawing blood.  
Youko was hit this time in the face. Blood spotted his robes. The hunter growled in frustration. "I hate that look on your face. You think you're so smart. You're too full of yourself to see that you're in my mercy."  
Youko laughed at him and used his death plant to kill the apparition hunter. Even though he was chained, his death plant could easily kill his attackers. All of a sudden, he wasn't Youko anymore. His silver hair darkened to a vivid red. He had returned to his human form but the deadly gash remained in his stomach. "What is it with my stomach being cut?!" he growled in frustration.  
Jirime walked in. "Your demon form is too strong for my pathetic hunters. I took the bind I had on your demon form off of you."  
"I'm guessing that I'm locked in my human form now," Kurama observed bitterly.  
"That's right. Youko may be a lot better on the eyes but your human form is just as good." Jirime kissed him and licked the blood off of his lips.  
Kurama felt a strange urge to return the kiss. He didn't realize he was straining against his bonds to get closer to her. Jirime laughed triumphantly. The sound of her laugh made Kurama snap out of his trance. He pulled away and shook his head fiercely.  
"You can't resist the Torment Spores," Jirime said. "No one can. The spores are telling you to love me. Obey them."  
"I will not."  
Jirime scowled. "Then perhaps death will destroy your passion for the girl." She caressed his cheek and smiled at him affectionately. "Kurama, my beloved, the only way to fix this is for you to watch the apparition die." She sighed melodramatically. "If only you hadn't grown attached to her, she wouldn't have to suffer-neither of you would have to. I hate seeing you hurt, but it must be done. Your heart is in her filthy grip therefore she must die. Forgive me."  
Kurama shuddered. 'My vision is coming true! She's saying almost exactly the same thing in the vision I had when I collapsed in front of that human male.' He looked at her. "Why can't you just kill me?"  
"I love you too much to kill you. I'm a selfish thing, my dear. I want you all to myself." Jirime brushed her lips against his cheek and purred in his ear. "What wouldn't I give to be the object of your perpetual affection? We've known each other for so long." She unzipped his bloodstained jacket to inspect the gash across his stomach.  
"Stupid things. I told him not to hurt you," she sighed. "I can fulfill whatever you've dreamed of but you choose Seyumi who can do nothing for you." She brought her lips to his wound.  
Kurama recoiled slightly. "I never cared for you! Seyumi doesn't need to chain me against my will to get my attention."  
Jirime scowled and ran her finger along the inside of his wound. Kurama felt a burning sensation and hissed in pain. "Oh dear, it seems that your wound is infected. Shall I heal it?"  
Kurama didn't want to think about how she would heal it. "No, I prefer to have my wound."  
"Pitiful . . .pitiful . . .Why must you be so valiant? It will get you nowhere in the end. Admit to my power." She kissed him on the tip of his nose.  
Kurama pulled away, careful not to hit his head on the stone wall behind him and shook his head to clear it. The spores were steadily clouding his mind.  
"How can you pull away from me?! I've loved you . . .worshipped you for centuries and you pull away." Jirime stood, towering over Kurama's crouched profile.  
Kurama looked up warily at her, expecting pain, wanting it to be pain rather than the show of affection. "What exactly have you done with Seyumi and Hiei? Where are they?!" he asked suddenly.  
Jirime wrapped her arms around Kurama's neck and licked the drying blood off of his cheek. "If you must know, she's being tortured. She's getting cut even if she answers the questions correctly. As for the demon with the Jagan eye, I don't know. I've given my bats permission to do as they wish with him. They're both dying and it's all your fault."  
Kurama felt his heart wrench with fear for both of his friends.  
"What about yourself?" Jirime asked. "The poison will kill you. I can save you; don't you want to live?"  
The fox's green eyes sparkled strangely in the dim light. "If neither Seyumi or Hiei are allowed to keep their lives then I don't want mine either." The eyes burned into her s. "Kill me . . .if you dare." He looked intimidating.  
"Of course I won't kill you! I love you too much, but you will suffer," Jirime continued. She unchained Kurama and grabbed both of his arms tightly with her arms. "If you retaliate in anyway, your friends will only get hurt worse. Don't toy with me."  
  
~~~*  
  
Hiei was in a pitch-black room. He could sense several different Spirit Energies but they were too weak to pay much attention to. He opened his Jagan eyes and allowed it to look around the room. All there was were sleeping bats. He was safe for now; as long as he didn't wake them up, he was fine.  
  
He focused his Jagan to search for Seyumi. He saw Seyumi with her arms and legs bound and chained to a wall. A strange looking demon was slicing at her with a sharp vine. Seyumi did and said nothing but wince occasionally. A large pool of blood had collected under her and more blood was adding to it from the fresh cuts.  
  
Hiei felt his anger flare up uncontrollably. He made his Jagan eye look about the room he was in to find a door or something to escape through so he could ensure that Seyumi was alive. He found a hole large enough for him to jump through. In a second, he was at the hole. He felt two sharp points press into his right arm. A bat had bitten him! He used his left arm to grab his katana and killed it. It was too late, though. He felt the poison from the bat's fangs work through him.  
  
~~~*  
  
About five demons took hold of Kurama and followed Jirime up a flight of stares that led to an open arena. Jirime sat in a seat close to the grassy area down below. She gestured for the demons to place him near her. The demons used a strange looking piece of rope to tie his hands behind his back. Jirime waved her hand above it and watched with satisfaction as the rope turned black with purple symbols on it. The rope sank into his skin, making it look like it was an awkward tattoo.  
"There. Your Spirit Energy won't work against me."  
"Can't you do something more original than lock my Spirit Energy up?"  
"Oh, speaking of Spirit Energy, if you look to the left of that animal statue, you can see the apparition."  
Kurama looked and saw Seyumi with her arms chained above her head just as Hiei had seen with his Jagan. It looked as if she was unconscious because no matter how much the hunter hit her, she didn't flinch or open her eyes much less move."  
"You wench! Release her!" Kurama exclaimed angrily.  
"Not just yet. It's gets worse." Jirime clapped her hands once. A bat carrying Hiei came down and dropped him near Seyumi. "It looks like a bat managed to get a hold of him. His right arm has turned a lovely shade of green from the venom of the bats."  
Kurama gritted his teeth. He knew he was completely useless. He had no choice but to watch the two die. Hiei could do well enough with his left arm but with the poison pulsing in his dominant arm, he wouldn't last for long.  
"Aww, poor dear," Jirime cooed evilly. "The two of them can do something you can't: die in one another's arms. Don't you want the apparition to have the liberty to die in your arms?"  
'Yes, if that's the only way to see her one last time,' Kurama's mind replied without him thinking. His heart thudded painfully. Did his mind just say what his heart felt?"  
  
Down in the arena, Hiei at Seyumi in horror. Seyumi was leaning against her chains. She didn't have the energy to support herself from the amount of lost blood. The chains on her disappeared, sending her falling face forward in the pool of her blood. Hiei caught her and lifted her away from the pool. "Are you okay?" he asked, clutching her limp body to his own.  
"I just almost fell in a pool of my own blood," Seyumi said with a faint smile, "but I'm fine. No problems here."  
Hiei grinned weakly. "Just be quiet and try to get some energy back. I'll go after the bitch." He grimaced as the poison caused his arm to tighten painfully.  
"You got hurt by Jirime's bats, didn't you?" Seyumi groped for his arm and healed it.  
"You idiot! You need your strength."  
"It doesn't matter. I lost so much blood. I'm dying so it won't make much difference."  
Hiei looked up at Jirime, lost for words. He saw her running her hands through Kurama's thick hair. He was obviously bristling under her touch. He watched as a lower class demon handed her a flask full of red liquid. Jirime drank it and handed the flask back.  
The Jagan eye on Hiei's forehead twitched uncomfortably. "Kill her," it seemed to beg, "Kill her!" Hiei used the Dragon of the Darkness flame technique and aimed it at Jirime.  
  
Jirime smiled. "It seems as though he's going to use that to kill me."  
"Are you worried?" Kurama asked in awe.  
"No. I'm safe with the protection of the apparition's blood."  
"What?"  
"Just watch."  
  
The black dragon flew towards Jirime. Jirime reached out and casually batted it away. The dragon was knocked off track and killed several demons.  
Hiei stared at the scorch marks on the stone walkway. "How in hell did she do that?" he murmured.  
"She drank a sample of my blood. For some reason, my blood protects the drinker."  
Hiei stared at her. "I don't understand what you mean. You mean that I burned my arm for nothing?"  
"Basically. WATCH OUT!"  
A bat flew at Hiei who killed it just in time. Nearly a hundred bats flew at him, bombarding him. One bit into his already injured arm. The pain was blinding. Hiei sank to his feet from the extreme pain."  
  
"Take him away, he's had his fun," Jirime called. The bats did as she asked. She looked lovingly at Kurama's pale face. "Darling? What's wrong?"  
"You know perfectly well," Kurama replied coolly, keeping his anger perfectly under control.  
"It is because of what I did to the pint sized demon?"  
Kurama said nothing and made no eye contact with her. He looked down at Seyumi's limp body with anger rising inside him like boiling water.  
"Kurama?" Jirime asked in a small voice. "Your anger is out of control! It's not like you!"  
He continued not to speak but merely allowed his anger show her how he felt. The wound on his stomach worsened and bled from the pressure that he put on it from trying to control his anger. His whole body throbbed with the pain but the ignored it.  
Jirime inched away. "I'll let you go to her. Will that make you happy?"  
"Maybe."  
"You're free for a moment, but your energy is still bound." The mark around Kurama's wrist disappeared.  
He leaped down into the arena and gathered Seyumi's limp body into his arms. His anger faded as he saw Seyumi's weak and helpless state. "Seyumi? Can you speak?" he asked, brushing her silver hair from her face.  
"Not much, it hurts for me to talk." Her voice was barely audible.  
"Forgive me for not foreseeing this."  
"It's not your fault, it's mine." Seyumi looked up at him. "Try to find Hiei and run, I'll handle her."  
"You can barely talk! What can you do?"  
"More than you." She took his hand to keep it from trembling.  
  
Jirime watched jealously. "Kurama, to escape you must beat me," she said at last.  
Kurama didn't move. He was calculating over what he could do. He knew Jirime couldn't match his speed. Maybe he could run with Seyumi.  
Jirime turned her arm into a vine and lifted Seyumi over ten feet into the air. "This is incase you choose to run. You won't leave without her, will you?"  
Kurama extracted his rose whip. His energy was no longer pinned down. Within the next few minutes, Jirime and Kurama fought. Kurama was easily winning. He managed to score small scrapes on Jirime. He would have won but he couldn't risk harming Seyumi. Every time he got near a vital point on Jirime, she would bring Seyumi up as a shield making Kurama tug bag on his rose whip just in time.  
Jirime laughed at him, knowing she had an advantage over him. "What's wrong? Can't you turn into Youko? Of course you can't! I locked him within you. What can you do know?"  
Kurama's wound burned. 'Perhaps my Death Seed will work,' he thought. 'It usually works.'  
Jirime knew him well enough to know his strategy. "The seed won't work. You notice the many vein like vines are leading into Seyumi's wounds. It's brilliant, isn't it?"  
"What does that have to do with the Death Seed?" Kurama asked warily. 


	15. Suicidal Visions

"It's so simple, my love. It was such a long time ago when the apparition was young and even more helpless than she is now. I believe she told you the whole story if I'm correct. She promised to obey my every whim if I spared her worthless brother's life. I did as she asked only because I knew how much of an advantage I could gain if I had an apparition such as her at my disposal. She's grown very beautiful, as you can see." Jirime said the last sentence bitterly. "With her exotic beauty, I could have her go into town and lure human males to my humble home to experiment on. The majority of the apparition hunters are from experimental humans. Plant essence mixed with demon blood in their veins allowed them to be lethal enough to kill many lower level demons."  
"As I have said, what does that have to do with my Death Seed?" Kurama demanded.  
"My servants punished her whenever I told them too. I had her punished enough to bleed whenever she did something wrong. I collected her blood samples to test and I found that her blood negated nearly any attack that was difficult to maneuver or control. Since most real masters of these types of techniques have died, if I were to have her blood in my own body, I was perfectly safe. Go ahead and try the seed if you want. It won't work."  
Kurama growled under his breath.  
"You don't believe me? Try it, then, if you want to," Jirime taunted.  
  
Kurama threw a Death Seed at her, hoping that she was bluffing. Seyumi groaned at how Kurama was allowing Jirime's taunt go to his head. She waved a trembling hand in the air, willing the seed to fly into her hand. In a split second, the seed swerved in midair and landed into her hand.  
"Seyumi! What are you? . ." The fox trailed off, wanting to scream at her for doing that but at the same time knew that it would be a deadly mistake if he did. 'She'd better have something intelligent to explain herself with,' Kurama thought.  
Seyumi looked at him, trying to communicate with him with her eyes. She pressed the Death Seed into the gaping wound on her arm. Kurama wanted to scream at her and shake her to force sense into her, but somehow he know that she had a reason to do this, just as he had when he had sewn the seed into his own body at the Dark Tournament. He watched, almost feeling her pain as she winced as the seed took growth.  
'What do you have on your mind?!' he thought desperately. 'Suicide can't be the only way out of this!' To his amazement, he heard Seyumi answer him in his mind.  
"I guess in a way this IS suicide, but at least I can take Jirime down with me."  
'But, she said that your blood repels my Death Seed! It won't be possible to attack her with that in your body. You don't understand how potent the death seed is!' Kurama argued her with his thoughts.  
"I understand exactly how potent it is. It's YOU who doesn't understand what I'm doing. Think through this; I know you aren't stupid."  
  
Kurama thought frantically, running the facts through his constantly calculating mind, trying to search for possibilities. As he thought, Jirime was getting bored and irritated at her idol of perfection for not paying attention to her. She yawned openly. "Kurama, I'm getting bored. Attack, why don't you?"  
"I'm trying to think," Kurama said sharply.  
"Think? Let's see if your brilliant mind can do that and doge my attacks at the same time." Jirime began to attack him with her free hand.  
  
'Please, Seyumi, tell me why this will affect you rather than this witch,' Kurama begged Seyumi mentally. He leaped into the air, ignoring the piercing pain in his abdomen and dodged the fury of blows. Luckily, he was used to Hiei's super speed and was able to doge Jirime without much of a hassle.  
"My blood in another person's system acts as a catalyst in the drinker's blood system and creates a perfect shield, just as she said. But my pure blood can be penetrated by the Death Seed like anyone else."  
'But you're going to die! I am not going to activate the Death Seed to paralyze or kill you if I know that you will perish!'  
"Don't change the subject on me here. Please just focus the seed to kill but focus most of it on Jirime. When you activate it, it should immediately grow and enter her body too. Neither of us will die just yet. The seed will only weaken us. Just trust me on this."  
'I will not."  
"Please! What good will it be if you and Hiei dies?"  
Kurama sighed and gave her an exaggerated bow. "I will do as you wish," he replied out loud.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Jirime demanded, staring at him.  
Kurama ignored her and did as Seyumi asked. He closed his eyes tightly, unable to withstand her crying out in pain as the Death Seed worked through her body. 'The course of the Death Seed shouldn't cause so much pain! Perhaps it's because she's an elemental apparition so she is very sensitive to it. Still, it pains me to hear her suffer," Kurama thought.  
Seyumi suddenly stopped crying out. Kurama knew she was holding the cries of pain. Soon, he saw the roots of the Death Seed emerge from Seyumi's various cuts and wrap around the vine/arm that belonged to Jirime. The roots traced the vine and entered Jirime's body.  
Jirime felt the roots bite into her skin and gaped at it. "How in hell . . .?"  
"My blood alone is able to be the host for the seed. Since it's looking for traces of my blood to feed off of, it'll find some in your body," Seyumi explained. Her energy was draining rapidly and the pain was becoming worse with each labored breath.  
Jirime howled in disgust. "You asshole!" she spat at Kurama. "You did this! Are you honestly going to let this apparition die? After all the pains you went through for her?!"  
Kurama looked into Seyumi's pain-filled eyes, amazed to find that her beauty was still unmarred by the blood staining her creamy skin. He looked away, unable to see her suffering. He chose to leave Jirime's question alone and stared intently at the blood-spattered floor.  
"Have you now mercy for her?!"  
Kurama looked up at Jirime. "Have you?" he asked coldly.  
"Don't you love her?"  
"I find that to be none of your concern!"  
The corners of Jirime's lips twitched, not sure whether to laugh, scream, cry, or all three. The Death Seed took its toll on her and fell over, sending Seyumi crashing down with her. Neither of them moved for a while. Jirime wobbled to her feet first. Seyumi followed. The roots lodged in her system showed through the various wounds on her body. She looked so pale . . .more pale than a stereotypical ghost.  
Kurama looked at her with agony. She was dying and he couldn't do a thing to stop it. He saw in her cobalt colored eyes that she had faced the facts and prepared to die. Even with blood-drenched clothes and the horrible look in her eyes, her beauty was still breathtaking beyond any angel that he had seen in pictures as a child. Everything hit him at once and his heart sorted out everything he ever felt. He realized that he truly, madly and deeply loved this silver haired beauty that was soon going to die. 'What timing,' he thought sarcastically. 'If I had known from the beginning . . .what wouldn't I have done?'  
  
"Please, Kurama, I don't are if you're too proud to run, just do it. I can hold her off long enough," Seyumi begged.  
Kurama, not know what to say, slowly nodded and began to turn to run. Seyumi called to him one last time. "I know it's probably too late, but I- I love you."  
Kurama faltered. The words he meant to say mixed up and came out wrong, making him sound like such a heartless creep. He had accidentally said, "I know." He winced. That wasn't what he wanted to say! He loved her! Anyone with at least one eye could see that! Just as he began to run, he felt his limbs turn weak and darkness seeped through him, making him feel like his energy he was slowing draining away. He slowed and leaned heavily against one of the stone statues. He felt so heavy for some reason and cold. Too cold to stay awake. This was the cold that could make one sleep forever. He began to shake uncontrollably and his eyes rolled into his head, showing only the milky white color.  
  
"The poison's messing up his body. I control it just as he controls these stupid seeds. He'll suffer emotional pain that he's never felt before. His will be broken and his mind and body will belong to me!" Jirime cackled.  
"You are really just a cold-hearted bitch," Seyumi said with a passive look on her face. "You don't care for him. You only care for yourself."  
Jirime glared at her.  
  
~~*  
  
The darkness feels as if it is filling his lungs. It causes his head to spin. Kurama finds himself lying on the ground in a dark forest. The forest is full of typical forest creatures. A doe passes in front of the fox. He watches it and feels his stomach churn with hunger. An uncontrollable impulse sends him to attack the doe and rips a strip of fur from the doe's neck. He brings his lips to the bleeding gash. Blood fills his mouth. He drinks it slowly, savoring the sweetness of it and the still struggling doe body beneath him.  
"Kurama . . ." a voice calls out.  
Kurama looks up. "Hiei?" He recognizes the spiteful voice and looks around. He wipes the blood from him mouth with the back of his hand. "Hiei? Where are you?"  
"You idiot! How can you do this to me! I thought friends weren't supposed to do things like this to one another!"  
"I haven't done anything!"  
"Bullshit! Look at your kill, you dumb ass. Do you enjoy the taste of my blood? You're such an ass."  
"What?" Kurama looks down at what he thought was a doe and find Hiei sprawled on the ground with the deadly gash on his slender neck. "It was a doe! It wasn't you!" Kurama insists.  
"Sure, believe that," comes Hiei's voice from nowhere. "Watch yourself. You may kill the ones you truly care about. Like your ningen mother."  
"What do you mean? Hiei? I'm sorry for this!"  
Silence is the only response he gets. Kurama stands up and inches away from the corpse of his demon friend. He runs away and nearly falls into a stream. He bends down and cups water into his hands to rinse the blood out of his mouth. Still feeling hungry, he sees a tree full of fruit. The fruit was in the strange shape of a human heart, but because it is a Makai fruit tree, there was nothing strange about it. He bites into one and tastes the crispy sweetness of it. It was sweet and tasted almost like . . .  
"Blood?!" Kurama spat it out and studies the fruit. "How is there blood in a fruit?!" The fruit is filled with a bloody pulp.  
A cry of pain echoes in the air. 'What now?' Kurama wonders warily. He turns and finds Shiori clutching a blood-covered hand above her heart. "Suiichi! Haven't I been a good mother to you?!" she sobs.  
"I haven't done anything."  
"You just ate my heart."  
"No, I didn't."  
  
"Then how do you explain this?" Shiori shows the hole where her heart once was."  
Kurama looks again at the fruit, confused. The fruit begins to pulse, pumping fresh blood into his hand. He drops it. "But Mother, if this is your heart, then how are you able to speak and breathe?" he asked curiously. He looks up to study his mother's expression and finds her gone. He turns around and a putrid odor fills his sensitive nose. He looks down at the ground and sees his mother's dead body on the ground. Maggots feasting on her body showed that Shiori had been dead for more than a week. Scared and confused, he backs away. He somehow killed two people he cared about. He runs to a clump of bushes and sits down. He covers his face with his bloodstained hands.  
"Two people? How could I have done this?"  
A gentle hand touches his arm. Kurama jumps and sees Seyumi. "Seyumi! You're okay!"  
"Of course, you silly goose."  
"How?"  
"I'll tell you when we get you out of here. Are you feeling okay?"  
"A little, not that you're here, but I somehow managed to kill Hiei and my human mother. I feel terrible."  
"I'm sure you didn't mean to. If you only used your mind to think of a way to get the two orbs out of the statue. There was a blue and black on. If you had broken the black one it would've been okay," Seyumi smiles and shrugs. "Too late though.  
  
Kurama did a double take. "I beg your pardon?"  
"The statue has two glass ball. Orbs, dummy. Break the black one."  
"YOU AREN'T MAKING ANY SENSE!" Kurama exclaims in frustration. He brings his hands to her delicate neck and strangles her to death. He realized what he's done and stares at Seyumi's still beautiful face. "What have I done? I killed the one girl I truly loved! I don't deserve to live!"  
  
~~~*  
"Damn it, wake up!" a voice hissed.  
Kurama opened his eyes but he didn't stop shaking. Tears were in his normally passive emerald eyes. "I killed her. I loved her and I killed her!"  
"What?" Hiei asked. He didn't like the blank look in Kurama's eyes.  
  
"Death shall be my penalty. I'll hang myself with my weapon. ROSEWHIP!" He took his whip and prepared to hang himself.  
"Kurama! Pull it together, you idiot!" Hiei slugged Kurama full in the face. Eve though he used enough Spirit Energy in his punch to break a normal human's neck, Kurama's head barely turned. It was still effective, nonetheless.  
The look was gone. Kurama blinked and touched his cheek where Hiei and hit him. "Where am I?" he asked quietly.  
"You're in Dreamland. Go fuck a tree and you'll win a caldron full of candy," Hiei muttered sarcastically.  
"Hiei? You're alive? No, it must be a dream."  
"It's not. You just got out of a bad vision because of Jirime. Luckily this cat looking thing named Akino helped me."  
Kurama studied him. "Why are you green?"  
"Poison from the bat's fangs. Akino stopped it for a while, luckily. She also said that we couldn't escape because Jirime managed to block all exits with her energy."  
Kurama remembered what Seyumi had told him in his vision. "Hm. .two orbs. . .black and blue?" he muttered.  
"What?"  
"I need to break the black orb between the blue and black on in a statue. Where is one?"  
"You're leaning on one."  
Kurama looked up and flicked his rose whips at the blue one. 


	16. Battle

THE black orb erupted into dust. Jirime screeched her protest. Seyumi felt her Spirit Energy gradually returning. She gaped at Kurama. "You broke the orb? But how. . .?" She turned into her demon form and saw that the black band on her arm was gone. Her Spirit Energy was no longer tied down.  
"I'm free!" She faced Jirime with her pretty face darkened by pure hatred for the raven-haired demon before her. "Now I've got the other half of my Spirit Energy back, you'll die."  
"No, you've got 75% of your energy back. You've only had about 25%," Jirime said, staring at her, not believing that her orb was destroyed.  
"What?!"  
"At the strongest, you've only used about 5%. Because your father died, you had no one to train you to your full potential. I knew this so I only told you that you had half."  
"Why are you now telling me?"  
Jirime smirked and tossed back her jet-black hair. "I feel that your soul should be at ease since I will kill you. Since we're on this subject, I want to tell you this: It was I who sent the apparition hunters to kill your family. Your father was going to be a menace if I didn't do anything therefore I had him set to death. As for your brat of a brother, he was the dead the minute you went to bed."  
Seyumi gritted her teeth, not wanting to believe that this was true. "How? If that's true, then how was I able to talk to him? He was still warm and he would make sounds just like any other small child."  
"His spirit must have still lingered around his body. I know I killed him. I used the akai plant instead of the kuroi herb on him. It insured that his corpse was warm to the touch but he'd dead." She laughed. "So all this time, you've been caressing, cradling a dead body. Everything you've done to him was done to a corpse!"  
"SHUT-UP!" Seyumi screamed. Tears were flowing down her pale cheeks. The Death Seed roots writhed like snakes, reacting from her sudden increase in Spirit Energy. "Make your move!"  
  
Kurama felt pinned to the very stone floor he sat on. He unleashed Seyumi's spirit Energy, allowing her demon form to reach it's true potential. Her Spirit Energy tripled, giving her beauty a deadly edge. He promptly forgot about his own deadly wounds to stare at the strange being before him.  
"She's got her energy back. I was afraid she was going to die," Hiei murmured, forcing air to circulate through his lungs. The poison was slowly beginning to hurt him.  
Kurama glanced back to find Hiei leaning heavily against the stone wall. It was rare for either of the demons to be in such a helpless and battered position. "You're going to kill yourself. Try to relax, we can't do anything else. Save you're energy incase we need to make a quick getaway.  
"Enough about me! I hate that she's killing herself for us but I respect the Code of Honor and won't help her. I don't like it one bit, though."  
"She wanted us to run . . ." Kurama replied as if it was a long time ago when Seyumi said it.  
"I know that but I don't think she does. I bet she's thinking that we're being stupid for watching her now."  
"Damn her!" Hiei growled. "Damn her to Makai! How can she do this?! I should be fighting the bitch! What are we supposed to do? I love her too much to sit there and watch her die!" He sat sulking and met Kurama's emerald eyes. "And I know you love her too," he added as a sort of afterthought.  
Kurama looked away. Yes, he did love her but what choice did he have? Interference with the fight wouldn't be for the best interest of any of them. Jirime could kill Seyumi from behind him if he were to try and protect her. If he died along with Seyumi, and Hiei, who would be able to stop Jirime from attacking the innocent humans?  
  
"Isn't that sweet?" Jirime hissed with jealousy and venom. She settled into her fighting stance.  
"What?" Seyumi snapped.  
"They love you so much that they're going to watch you die. No need to worry, I'll give them something to watch." Jirime turned into a fully- grown kitsune. All nine tails waved in the air and its teeth were bared.  
Seyumi knew the nine-tailed fox could easily dodge head on attacks. She made the Death Seed vines snake around it, seeing her moves before it happened as it ran at her. She began to squeeze the creature to death. Jirime cried out in agony and turned into a human like creature with bat wings. Instead of hair or fur, it was covered in pale blue flames. Jirime flew at Seyumi with speed that could rival Hiei's. Seyumi focused her inner Spirit Energy, calling for what made her what she was. Water surrounded her, filling the entire stadium.  
  
Kurama and Hiei found that they were able to sit and stand on the water's surface. They didn't feel wetness to it. It felt solid but it was the knowledge that it was water that made them slightly nervous. They stared at the several feet of water in surprise, watching it increase with each second. How was she able to get this much water to fill the room, which was twice the size of a pro football stadium?  
  
As Jirime flew towards Seyumi with bared fangs and the fire blazing, water came down on her like violet tidal waves. Seyumi controlled the water; it was the one element that truly made her feel at ease to use. With the flames dying out, Jirime turned into a shark-like creature with razor sharp teeth and with poisonous quills on ever inch of her body. Seyumi made the water lash at the creature so violently that the quills began to break off. Soon blood clouded the water.  
Jirime regained her human form. She, too, stood on the surface of the water "No matter, it'll be more fun to kill you like this." She turned one of her arms into something like a purple and green flower covered in bright yellow spores.  
"Those are a type of Makai flower!" Kurama said in recognition. "It looks like the Rivivium."  
"Rivivium?" Hiei repeated. "What in the hell is that?"  
"If used, Riviviums are able to bring a person to life but the one who uses it on the dead person looses their life. They are very, very hard to find though; I don't know how she found one. But . . ." Kurama's brow creased as he studied the plant thoughtfully.  
"But what?"  
"Riviviums don't have bright yellow spores. That must have been genetically fused with some type of acid. Hydrochloric? It can't be mixed with Cyanide since the very scent of it can kill you."  
"Meaning? You're talking in riddles!"  
It suddenly dawned on the fox. "Those are paralysis spores, I'm sure of it!"  
Hiei jumped and winced from his badly bruised body. "You're positive?"  
"Yes. I know my Botany, of course, and I don't know enough Chemistry to know what it is but I'm sure that they are paralysis spores. If a single grain touches her skin, she'll be paralyzed. SEYUMI! WATCH OUT!" he yelled at her.  
Seyumi sank into the water just as the chemically enhanced Rivivium sprinkled red powder down on her. Jirime, Hiei and Kurama stared into the water. Jirime smirked as the water rose all around her, forming into transparent forms of Seyumi. "You've done this trick far too many times as a child! Your Water Duplication technique won't work."  
Five of the forms attacked head on while about ten others attacked her sides. In and instant, Jirime's slim arm turning into a thorny vine much resembling Kurama's rose whip. She swung the vine and sliced all the forms in half. The forms sank back into the water.  
  
"Is that the end of it?" Hiei whispered, asking no one in particular.  
"No, look."  
  
Jirime, figuring that Seyumi was gone for good, advanced onto Hiei and Kurama to carry out her plans of revenge on Kurama not loving her. "My love, you understand that I don't want to do this," she said in a purr.  
Kurama and Hiei saw the real Seyumi slowly rise from the water behind Jirime. Jirime had managed to hit her but it seemed that Seyumi had brought the Death Seed roots up as a shield because the ends seemed severed, even though they still moved. Kurama decided to take a leaf out of her book and copy a manipulative move that she has used to get him out of the human girls' grasp.  
"Y-yes, I understand but it's a pity that you can't forgive me for being so idiotic," Kurama stuttered, not sure of really what to say since he wasn't used to doing this. It came out well since the stuttering made it seem like he was close to sobbing. It sounded effeminate to him, but it sounded romantic to Jirime.  
"What?"  
Kurama did his best to sound helpless. He did this very well. "You heard. I feel stupid. I regret my foolish decision to love her. I realized that power is exactly what I wanted all along."  
  
Seyumi read his thoughts and found with relief that he was only doing this to help her. She stabbed Jirime in the back with her dagger. Jirime fell over, stunned. Seyumi fell to the ground breathing with difficulty.  
"The death seed is slowly killing her," Kurama noted sadly.  
"That's what that is in her?! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"  
"Partially, yes, but it was part of her plan."  
  
Seyumi stood and raised her hands before her. She silently willed the water to do her bidding. The water formed walls around Jirime who was beginning to get to her feet. The walls closed in and slowly circled around her creating a watery tornado that tossed Jirime's body around like a rag doll.  
The apparition gestured violently toward the wall, sending Jirime crashing into it. The water faded, leaving Jirime bleeding on the ground.  
"Perfect!" Hiei said, congratulating her.  
"No, not yet. I managed to let her bleed some of my blood out. One more attack and she'd be gone." She held up her hand. "DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME!"  
With a charred outline left, Jirime was gone in a whoosh of darkness.  
"That was one hell of a catfight, as I'm sure Yusuke would say," Kurama commented.  
Seyumi sighed, glad that she was done. She collapsed from exhaustion. The water left the arena, leaving a dry stone floor. Kurama managed to catch her just as she fell and allowed her to lay with her head against his shoulder.  
"Seyumi, we'll be able to go home! You don't have to worry about her anymore!" he said. He hugged her and smiled happily.  
"No," Seyumi murmured, gripping his collar with her hand trembling from her weakness. "We're not okay. Not just yet." 


	17. Life & Death Situations

A/N: I recently got a flame from someone. Please, if you are going to flame any of my works, give me a good reason why you don't like it rather than telling me that you simply 'don't like it'. Thanks in advance! ~~~Special thanks to: Miyako14, Kaysan1, and Dragonbabe (Sorry if I spelled your pennames wrong, I'm trying to type really fast so PLEASE don't scream at me for misspellings! I'm sorry, if I did, k?!) You three have reviewed this whenever I have gotten a chapter up and I owe you tons of thanks so- Domo Arigatogozaimasu!  
  
~~Life and Death Situations~~ =^.^=  
  
"What?" Kurama asked, not sure that he had heard right because Seyumi spoke in such a low voice.  
"What do we have to put up with now?! You killed her, what more is there?" Hiei demanded, frustrated.  
"Jirime's existence holds this tower up and we're on the very top level," Seyumi murmured. "You do the math."  
"So basically, if Jirime dies, the tower no longer has power to exist?" Kurama said.  
The whole tower creaked and rumbled under their feet in eager response. "YES!" it seemed to scream. "YES! YOU STUPID DEMONS WILL DIE DIE DIE!!!!"  
"You have maybe less than a minute to escape."  
"Y-you? As in us? As in only Hiei and myself?"  
"Yes. I don't have the energy to move and it would be too much of a burden on you two to bring me back. You're both already badly injured. Let me stay here."  
Hiei crossed his arms. "There's no way I'm letting you die. We followed you this far just to ensure that you lived! I'm not going to leave without what I came here for!"  
"If you die without struggling for your life, I can assure you that your soul will go to the depths of Makai. Botan takes the spirits that have died to wherever their destinies lie. I can arrange for your spirit to suffer through horrific things."  
Hiei and Seyumi gaped at the fox's harsh tone and at the stern look on his face. Kurama wasn't joking but he was angry at the way Seyumi thought that they would leave without her. That was such an absurd idea! He turned into his demon form without noticing and flashed his amber eyes at the apparition in frustration.  
"You're coming with us. I can carry you. It's not as if you weigh over 90 or 100 pounds," Youko said, glancing down at the slim body in his lap. "Hiei, search the main route we came in from. Can we escape from there?"  
Hiei's Jagan eye searched through countless stone walls. "Nope. We can't unless you feel like tunneling through several tons of stone."  
The tower rumbled again and succeeded in knocking Hiei off of his feet. "Akino . . .you can call for her," Seyumi said, struggling to get up. The effort took too much energy, making her pass out from sheer exhaustion.  
Youko stood, half holding, half carrying Seyumi's body. He called for Akino. Akino came out cautiously and snarled at them. She could sense that her master was hurt badly and that she was in Youko's arms. Youko kneeled next to the small creature. "Please, Akino, could you show us the way out? Seyumi is badly injured and unless we find a way out, she may die," he explained.  
The animal sniffed at Seyumi. She chirped softly as if deciding.  
"No, that was Jirime. I wouldn't purposely hurt Seyumi."  
Akino looked at the fox and cocked her head slightly.  
"Yes, Seyumi killed her but we need a way out to make sure she won't get worse."  
Akino began to lead them out.  
"Hiei, can you run? She says we need to go fast."  
Hiei smirked, showing he could.  
  
They ran at top speed, only running into lower class demons, which were easily killed.  
  
They stopped at the edge of what looked like an ocean. A boat awaited them. "We didn't get here on a boat," Hiei said doubtfully.  
"Yes, but this is the only way we can leave. Akino has already went into it so it must be safe."  
"Hn." Hiei climbed into the boat after Youko and sat down, looking away from the way he was holding Seyumi to him as if she were a priceless artifact. "How do we make it go?" he asked.  
Youko shrugged and looked around. Akino, knowing what they were trying to do, threw back her head and mewed loudly. In an instant, four dolphins came to the boats side and began to drag it toward the opposite end of the water.  
Hiei crossed his arms. "Can't these things go any faster?" he demanded. When nobody answered, he looked over at the two to see if Seyumi was alive. Seyumi was lying very still in Youko's arms. "Is she . . .?" Hiei asked tentatively.  
"No, she's alive," came a quiet answer.  
"I'm only tired, so don't worry, Hiei," Seyumi said and looked up at Youko feebly.  
Youko smiled and held her all the more closer. "What are you staring at?" he asked.  
"Your ears." Seyumi reached up to stroke the velvety ears and smiled as they twitched at her touch and flattened against his head. "You know, I should kill you. The most you could say back to me was 'I know' and didn't even bother to say anything else," she said.  
"If you have any remaining energy, then do so."  
Hiei choose this moment to avert his eyes away as Youko nuzzled Seyumi and shared a brief kiss with her.  
  
They finally reached the shore. Hiei carried Seyumi and lay her down gently on a bed of leaves and Youko tied the boat in a spot covered in bushes. Akino leaped out and curled up beside Seyumi, falling asleep. Hiei sat against a tree near the two and winced at how much pain he was in once the adrenaline rush was gone. He barely had the energy to scratch his arm if needed. He looked up at Youko. "So what are we going to do? I can't go in front of the humans with my Jagan out-it's not normal for anyone to have a third eye. You can't go in your human form looking like a rape victim since humans will you see you as a female when they glance at you."  
"Thank you, Hiei," Youko replied dryly, "I didn't know that I was so liked by you."  
"Hn." He leaned close to Seyumi and heard her breathing softly but with difficulty. "She's having some trouble breathing," he announced. At length, he voiced the question that had been in his mind for a while. "The Death Seed isn't going to kill her, is it?"  
Youko sighed. "If we cannot get help by midnight then I'm afraid it will. Since it cannot be terminated, the progression of it must be stopped so that it may die and fade from her veins on it's own."  
"Don't you control the damned things?!"  
"Not anymore. Once she got her Spirit Energy back from the orb, her energy went beyond mine for a second because I was weak at the time. It obeys that whose will and Spirit Energy is stronger. She chose to control it since I hadn't the heart to make it kill her."  
Hiei scowled.  
"I'm going to find Yukina. I'll go quickly so you stay here and watch Seyumi."  
"Fine, just hurry. If she dies before you come here, I'll make sure that you'll die."  
"Ooo, reassuring," Youko replied sarcastically and nodded once before leaving.  
  
Youko sped out of Karasu Mori and went to his new house where Yukina was house keeping for him. He opened the door with a loud slam, not caring if anyone heard or not. It was his house, after all. He went to his living room and found Yusuke spread on the floor on the tatami in front of the TV. Kuwabara was sitting on the couch within an inch or so of Yukina who was sitting scrunched at one end. He wore his stupid grin as he talked to her.  
Yukina looked up at Youko. "Kurama!" she gushed with a smile. She frowned and cocked her head. "Your demon form . . .? Oh m'gosh! Is Seyumi hurt?!"  
"Very badly, I'm afraid. I need your help. You're the only one who can help." Youko's sensitive ears picked up the sounds of footsteps. Botan had entered the house. 'What is this, a house party? Only Yukina was invited to stay and I realized that Kuwabara would come but I'm not hosting a slumber party' he thought in frustration.  
"Kurama! What are you doing looking like that?! A human could pass by and see you."  
"Geez, Botan! It's a Sunday nigh and it's one in the morning. No normal person's gonna be up at this time. Except maybe the drunks. This is a good time to get drunk ya know."  
Everyone stared at him with the anime bead of sweat on their heads. "Riight."  
"Look, we need to hurry. You're brother's in the same boat as she is but he can last a little longer than her." Youko said again.  
Kuwabara had already zoned out when everyone stared at him. He went to Yusuke to see what would wake him.  
"My brother? You mean you found him?" Yukina said eagerly.  
"Yes, I have. Hiei is your brother."  
"The quite and antisocial one?"  
"I suppose that's a way to put it."  
"Do you think he'll need this? I made it for him since he seems to like the color black it's getting so colder everyday." Yukina unraveled a black cloak.  
Youko smiled. "He'd love it. Now come on." He lifted Yukina's small form and ran to Karasu Mori.  
  
~~*  
At Karasu Mori, Hiei was watching Seyumi shiver which was a sure sign that she was getting worse. He wanted to help her but with his cloak long gone, he had no way to keep her warm. He himself wasn't cold because the poison was making him flush. He wasn't feeling well but he had to keep the girl he loved safe. It was a duty he had forced himself to complete at the cost of his own life if necessary.  
"Hiei? Kurama? Where are you? Please don't leave me alone here," Seyumi whispered with her eyes closed tightly shut. "It's so dark . . ."  
If Seyumi wasn't struggling for her life, Hiei would have loved this opportunity to be alone with her. He grasped Seyumi's quivering hand. "Kurama went for help. I'm here for you."  
Seyumi didn't reply.  
"How are you?" Hiei asked, trying to make sure that Seyumi wouldn't fall victim to the cold.  
"It hurt so badly. My insides are ripping apart . . .I'm so cold too. Aren't you cold?"  
Hiei could feel her quaking so badly that he wondered wildly for a minute if she was going to shake herself to death. He pressed his lips to her hand. "No. I'm not." Not knowing what to do, he pulled her gently in his arms. He stroked Akino absentmindedly and was amazed to find how much comfort such a small ball of fuzz could bring to even him. He studied Seyumi's face in the dim light the moon provided. Her beauty and splendor were still there. He grinned. How he wished she could belong to him.  
  
"CAW CAW!"  
  
Hiei sharply lifted his eyes. A group of five crows twice his size hopped towards him. They dove towards the two demons, realizing that they wouldn't be able to fight back. 


	18. Brother & Sister Reunited

~~~Chapter 17: Brother & Sister Reunited~~~  
  
Hiei stared defiantly at the crows. All of a sudden, they all fell to the ground, dead. He looked around for what had killed the crows. It couldn't have been something weak.  
Youko lowered his hand and allowed Yukina to run towards Hiei. He returned to his human form and allowed Akino to jump on top of his vivid scarlet hair and sit there.  
"Kurama told me, Hiei! He told me that you were my brother!" Yukina exclaimed.  
Hiei shot a killer look at the fox. "He did, did he?" he snarled.  
Yukina latched onto his neck, dangerously close to falling on Seyumi. Her tears of joy formed into her trademark jewels and showered down on the ground. "I'm so glad that I found you!" She sat back, smiling at her brother. "You're hurt," she said slowly.  
"Yeah, but Seyumi's in worse shape."  
Yukina looked down at her and saw the Death seed plant nearly covering her like veins. "What happened?"  
Kurama told her everything. Yukina nodded. "I'm sorry, but I can't do anything but stop it from spreading. It'll take a long time for it to remove itself from her system since she's an elemental apparition like me." She did just that.  
"Thank you. I owe you one."  
"Nonsense." She looked at Kurama's tall, lithe profile, noticing the gaping wounds in his sides. "You're hurt too!"  
"Hiei, him next." Kurama nodded towards Hiei's green tinted skin.  
Yukina healed the fire demon and watched as he stretched an arm muscle. He smiled at her. "Thank you."  
"You're welcome. Your turn now, Kurama." She healed Kurama, glad to be of so much help.  
Kurama lifted Seyumi. "How can I repay you?"  
"Ah, have a child or two. I love small creatures," Yukina said, teasing him. She nuzzled Akino after scooping her off his head. "You're the cutest thing!" she cooed to her.  
Kurama blushed but quickly regained his composure.  
"She's in demon form. She can't go like that," Hiei said quickly.  
"Oh, right. I forgot." Kurama shook Seyumi lightly. "Seyumi? Are you awake?"  
"I don't know." Seyumi murmured truthfully.  
"We're going home and you can't look like that in case a human sees you. Here, if it hurts, squeeze my hand." He managed to hold her in one arm and over a hand to her.  
She took it weakly and turned into her human form. Tears of pain filled her eyes.  
"Did it hurt?"  
"Yes, but I didn't have . . . any energy . . ." Seyumi fell silent.  
Kurama brushed her tears away. "It's okay. Coming, Akino?" he called to the small creature.  
Akino jumped and landed lightly in Seyumi's lap. Kurama laughed. "Yes, I suppose I'm inclined to carry you both."  
He walked out of the forest with a lighter rhythm to his graceful steps.  
  
Isn't that sweet?" Yukina asked with her eyes brimming with envious joy.  
"No," Hiei said flatly. He didn't bother to hide his displeasure at the sight of the fox carrying Seyumi away.  
"You love her, don't you?" Yukina asked.  
He glanced up at her, unsure if she would laugh or scoff at him. "Yeah, I do," he answered with difficulty. He could tell her.  
"I understand how you feel."  
"What's he got that I ain't got, anyway?" Hiei rambled on stubbornly.  
"You'll find out on your own, I guess. I'm here to love you, even if it doesn't account to much."  
Hiei mused over her words.  
"Walk with me to Kurama's house so I can say good by to everyone. Oh yeah, I made this for you!" She unraveled the cloak she made and offered it shyly.  
The crimson eyes of the fire demon seemed to waver with emotion at being showed so much kindness from someone he didn't have much contact with. "Thank you." He put it on, smiling. "Lets go."  
Yukina took his arm and returned the smile. ~~~*  
Kurama stopped at the door of his huge house, unwilling to give Botan and the rest a lengthy explanation of everything that went on. He went in.  
"What took you so long?" Botan asked. She looked at Seyumi and gasped. "Is she dead?"  
"No, she's just fainted for a while. Now may I enter my own house?"  
Botan stepped aside. Kurama sat down, laying Seyumi in the armchair near him.  
"You better explain this to me!" Kuwabara demanded. He closed the distance between him and Kurama but nearly tripped over Yusuke's sleeping form. "Why did you take my baby away to a forest full of scary mutated crows?! And. .why the hell do you have bloody corpse on your fancy-pants chair? You must be a psycho corpse carrying dork who enjoys spotting fancy furniture!"  
Botan fell over in classic anime style while Kurama wore the bead of sweat.  
"I took Yukina to heal Hiei and Seyumi. The forest crows aren't mutated. As for Seyumi she isn't dead and if the furniture is stained, it can be removed. I am not a dork," he finished with weariness.  
"Good. I'm glad you're not a corpse carrying dork because that would be scary and weird of you. So where's Yukina?"  
"Still in the forest with Hiei."  
Kuwabara's jaw dropped. "You left her there with shorty? Don't you know that all short people are weird?!"  
"Oh are we," Hiei snarled from the open door. Kuwabara feel over screaming "EEK!" from shock. He glared at the demon.  
"Where's Yukina?!"  
"Here. I'm fine," Yukina replied.  
"You vertically challenged creep! You stole my girlfriend!"  
"If I weren't her brother, I wouldn't let her go to waste over you. But since I am, I'm still denying her from you." Hiei smirked. Oh yeah, he was back to his sarcastic self.  
"B-brother?"  
"I'm in awe that your feeble mind couldn't grasp the concept of it before. It was obvious and with Uremeshi and Kurama insinuating it I thought it was obvious."  
"Behave! Did you listen when Kurama told me, Kazume?" Yukina asked.  
"Did he? Today?"  
"Yes!"  
"Oh, my bad."  
"Yukina, everyone, except the lummox, obviously, already knew. I had a death threat on anyone who told," Hiei said to her.  
"Why? Are you going to kill him?"  
Hiei cast a look to battle Kurama's amused on. "We'll see."  
  
Kurama stood. "Excuse me, but I am tired. You may spend the night or leave. Good night." He took Seyumi and went upstairs.  
Everyone left except for Yukina and Hiei. They stayed to ensure that Kurama and Seyumi were okay.  
  
Kurama lay Seyumi on the bed and changed out of his blood stained clothes. He pulled the sheets up over the two of them and immediately fell asleep. 


	19. Suffering

~~SUFFERING~~  
  
It was well into the next morning when Kurama finally woke up. The sun lit the room up, casting its cheerful rays all around, illuminating the pair lying in the bed. It was obvious that the weather showed no sign of the struggles of the previous night, no signs of pain or near death.  
"I was wondering if you were going to wake up sometime this year," Seyumi said. Her voice was hoarse but she was in better shape than last night. "Can I ask why I'm in the bed with you?"  
"I wasn't about to leave you lying in the forest or on the couch where Kuwabara would prod at you to see if you were truly alive. Be grateful that I tried to think of what was best for you," Kurama said, sitting up and looking down at her. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and smiled. "Feeling better?"  
Seyumi shrugged. "A little. Some of my energy is back but I'm sore all over. You?"  
"I'm at ease." He gingerly lifted her into his waiting arms and planted a tender kiss on her lips. Seyumi ignored the pain of her throbbing head and felt herself melt into his embrace, feeling the support his strong arms readily gave her. Kurama progressed to her neck, taking needed comfort from her soft, smooth skin. He withdrew suddenly, feeling the Death Seed's growth twitch under her skin at her touch. He had almost forgotten all about it.  
"Are you in pain?" he asked suddenly.  
"W-what?"  
"Are you in pain? The ordeal you suffered last night was immense." Seyumi said nothing, reluctant to answer. She didn't want him to worry over something that only she could handle at this moment. "Yes," she said slowly and hastily added, "but it isn't that bad."  
Kurama didn't believe her. "Where do you hurt?"  
"Nearly everywhere but my head is worse."  
"What sort of pain?"  
"S-something is tearing through me," Seyumi stuttered. She didn't know why she was close to tears. "D-do you k-know what I mean?"  
"You're holing back pain like that?! How are you able to stand it?!"  
"When I was younger, I'd get beat or worse if I cried when I was punished. I had to bottle up my emotions and you make me feel like I shouldn't cry but I can't help it. You're so kind to me even after all I did so it makes me feel weak to show you my pains and everything."  
"What?" Kurama stared at her in awe. "I don't mind if you tell me what's bothering. In fact, I encourage that you do. It makes me feel better to know that I can make you feel better and happier in anyway. If you were hurting and didn't tell me, how would to cure you?"  
Seyumi closed her eyes and settled into his arms, burying her face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry I was so selfish the whole time. I mean I nearly killed you and Hiei."  
"I forgave you far before any of this happened and I'm sure Hiei feels the same way I do. I couldn't be mad at you for wanting a relative to live. Now, I want you to get plenty of rest. I'll stay with you until you've recuperated."  
"What about your school?"  
"Unimportant. Your health comes first. I can always take remedial lessons if worse comes to worse. You can't get many chances to live unlike myself. I'm a fox spirit therefore I can live forever as different species."  
"That reminds me, I recognized your demon form. You're a well known demon around Makai, aren't you?"  
"I wouldn't know."  
"Youko the demon hunter? You killed a lot of people! Why didn't you tell me about it? I saw your demon form when Jirime showed your fight in the dark tournament, but I never thought much of it."  
"Perhaps that explanation should be given later. Any other questions?"  
"Um . . .the orb! You were able to break it."  
Kurama wasn't expecting this. "What about it? It was very fragile. I was astonished to find that you weren't able to do it yourself."  
"If that was true, we would have never met. I was able to find it but breaking it was impossible."  
"Then how was I able to break it?"  
"I'm not exactly sure. Once I over heard Jirime tell someone about the orb. I had to deeply care for a person who returned the feelings but that person had to have went through extreme psychical and emotional pains."  
Kurama stood with his hands behind his back. "You're insinuating something, aren't you?"  
"N-no, not really." Seyumi was desperate to know if Kurama truly cared for her or if he was only toying with her mind as Jirime had done, tricking her already tormented mind into believing that she was loved. She watched the fox pace around the room.  
He sighed and looked at her. "Yes, all of it is true but it's more than the simple matter of caring for you." He turned and faced her with a serious look. He looked like he was about to admit to a committed crime. "I . . .love you. I would gladly die for you. When you nearly died last night in the forest, my heart nearly went with you."  
Seyumi allowed the news to sink in. She felt a wave of happiness wash over her. All of a sudden the wave of happiness turned to pain-an unpleasant pain that became excruciating. She wrapped her arms around herself and doubled over. Tears streamed down her face.  
"What is it?" Kurama went to her side and uncertainly reached out to touch her shoulder.  
"It's ripping through me. I c-can't breath," Seyumi whispered with difficulty.  
Not knowing what to do, Kurama could only watch Seyumi's seizure like convulsions of pain and wipe the sweat off of her face during the brief, pain free periods of time. Each of the periods without convulsions seemed to last for a few seconds, which were immediately followed by several hours of pain and suffering.  
  
It seemed to last for several weeks. Kurama only left her side to get fresh water to sponge her sweaty face and to cool her dry throat. All thoughts for himself pertaining to food and sleep were forced out of his mind. Soon his broad shoulders drooped and all grace seemed long gone.  
  
~~~*  
  
It was about the 20th day of the following month. Hiei strode into the room with a plate of food. Yukina had insisted this. He looked sadly at Seyumi who had just now stopped moving restlessly with pain. He knew what had happened and it wasn't just because he had stayed in the house with Yukina, but because he had used his Jagan eye to watch over her.  
"Hn. Still isn't better is she?" he asked Kurama. Part of his heart blamed the fox completely for making Seyumi suffer from the Death Seed. The rest of his heart screamed out in pain for her.  
Kurama jerked, obviously snapping back to reality. He was beginning to doze off. He turned to face the fire demon. "Theoretically the pain is a good sign that signals the seeds are working its way out. It isn't supposed to hurt this much but her body is sensitive." He cast his tired gaze over Seyumi for the umpteenth time. "You know how much it bothers me that she won't cry out from this? I don't know if she's dying or . . ." He sighed warily and buried his face in his hands. His hands went up to work through the scarlet mass that was his hair.  
"Look, go clean yourself up and get some sleep. I'll wake you up if she gets better," Hiei said, trying to force his traces of sympathy for the fox out of his voice. He placed the plate of food on the nightstand. "Eat this. Yukina said it would relax your mind so you could sleep."  
"No, I couldn't."  
"Just go, you look like shit. Right now Kuwabara's face looks better than yours. How do you think she would feel if she woke up to a corpse?" Hiei said, nodding towards Seyumi.  
Kurama left reluctantly to do as he was asked.  
  
Hiei took the chair and watched Seyumi fall into another lapse of pain. Thankfully, it didn't last for long. He took her clammy hands in his. "Please don't die," he muttered mostly to himself than anyone else. "You're strong enough to live through this."  
  
Kurama reentered with damp hair looking tired but slightly better than he had. He sat in a cushioned chair not far from the bed. "No change?" he asked. Hiei shook his head.  
"Eat what Yukina made. She forced me to promise that if you didn't eat of your own freewill that I would tie you down and force it down your throat." He gave him a smirk. "Eat it or I'll shove it up your ass."  
Kurama reached for the plate, not because of Hiei's threat, but because he felt a pang of hunger somewhere buried under his wariness. He took a bite of the onigiri (rice ball) and felt his stress die away. "What did she put in this?"  
"Beats the hell outta me."  
Kurama fell asleep before he was halfway finished through the food.  
  
Hiei was left alone to bask in Seyumi's beauty despite her weak and stressful state. He got the damp cloth and dabbed at her face and neck.  
  
~*~*~TSUZUKU~*~*~ 


	20. Match of Ownership

~~Match of Ownership~~  
  
Over five hours had passed and Hiei noticed that Seyumi hadn't been convulsing in pain for over half of the time span. He leaned closer to see if it was only the imagination of his troubled mind that was causing this. He brushed the strands of hair away from her face to study it. He watched as her hand went to his and held it for a second. She opened her eyes and looked at him with a weary smile forming upon her lips.  
"Hiei? It's nice to see you," she whispered. "I've got a sore throat so I can't talk any louder than this. Where did Kurama disappear to?"  
The fire demon was displeased at hearing Kurama's name but kept his face neutral for Seyumi's sake. "He's asleep in the chair."  
"He's not sick, is he?"  
"He hasn't slept or ate, much less left your side, for the past month or so. You've been having these . . .er . . .what do humans call it? Seizures? Yeah, well you've been in a lot of pain from the death seed."  
"For that long? I knew that I was hurting but really? For that long?" A nod answered her question. "Why did Kurama do that for me? He shouldn't have. "  
"I would've done the same thing if I were in his place. I'm sure anyone would have," Hiei said bitterly. "Anyway, I told him that I would wake him as soon as you got better." He began to stand.  
"Please don't, he needs to sleep." Seyumi took his hand to stop him.  
Hiei sat back down, glad for a reason to keep her at close range. He felt that his time with her would be short and he wanted to stay with her as long as possible.  
"So, how're you and Yukina getting along? I think I heard her say that Kurama tell her about you."  
"We're doing fine but she won't shut up long enough for me to answer some of her questions. It almost makes me wish we weren't related."  
"Almost is the keyword, isn't it?"  
Hiei agreed. He told Seyumi about everything Yukina had done for him without expecting anything in return.  
Seyumi couldn't help but laugh. She moaned briefly from the pain it caused. "Ow . . .well at least we apparitions can do something other than being powerful," she half joked.  
"Not powerful my demon ass! You controlled the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and did it without a scorch mark, a burn or anything."  
Seyumi blushed. "Oh . . .well, I cheated. Don't be so proud of me."  
"How the hell can you cheat on it?"  
"I'll explain it when I can." She stifled a yawn. "I'm so tired! I feel like I haven't sleep at all."  
"You haven't. The most you've been able to sleep in the past month was maybe five hours or less."  
"Heh, you sound like you've been living here or something."  
"Normally, I would be hanging around Genkai's temple with Yukina-I don't think you would know the human psychic. We-Yukina and I-have been staying downstairs. She wanted to make sure the two of you were fine. Go ahead and sleep. You need it."  
Seyumi smiled and gripped his hand lightly. "You can be really nice when you want to be. Maybe you should show that side more often." She fell asleep, leaving Hiei to ponder over her insinuation-if it really was an insinuation.  
  
Kurama woke with a start. "No! You can't let her die like this!"  
Hiei glanced at the fox. Kurama took no notice because his eyes were closed tightly and was muttering something.  
"What is it?" Hiei asked at last, not really caring, but feeling as if it was a duty.  
The emerald-like eyes lay on Hiei, Seyumi, then closed again. "She . . .she was dying and it was all my fault. She ended up dying in my arms. I tried to fight the creature but nothing I did could harm it. I-I felt reduced to a human child. You can't imagine how helpless a human feels. The fear . . ."  
"It's just a dream. You had a nightmare because of how tied you are. Now why don't you relax and shut your mouth."  
"What if it wasn't a dream? What if it was a vision?" Kurama opened his eyes and allowed the fire behind them to spark, glaring at the fire demon. "How do you know she hasn't died now?!"  
"She hasn't been in severe pain for over an hour and she spoke to me not too long ago."  
Kurama stood and grabbed a fistful of Hiei's cloak in one swift and graceful movement. "You said you would alert me if her condition improved."  
Hiei scowled and twisted skillfully out of Kurama's grip. "She told me not to wake you up. I really appreciate the gratitude you gave me for listening to her and giving you the opportunity to get some extra sleep," he said with sarcasm.  
Kurama's harsh look softened. "Then. . .she asked for me?"  
"Hn." He flopped down on the windowsill to look at the street below.  
  
An hour or so later, Seyumi opened her eyes and found Kurama's face buried in his crossed arms. His arms were propped up on the bed while he sat in a chair. She slowly reached out to stroke his thick, red hair and ran her fingers through the cowlick that had become part of his image.  
He raised his head at her touch, his eyes unfocused from having fallen asleep again. "Seyumi?" he murmured groggily. His eyes slid into focus and settled on her pale but still pretty face. "Thank Reikai that you're safe!" He kissed her hand and sat beside her to hug her with relief.  
Seyumi leaned weakly into his embrace. She said nothing and allowed him to toy with her hair, relishing pleasure his lips brought her as he kissed her cheek.  
Hiei tried to ignore the display of affection but his eyes couldn't leave Seyumi's face. Her face seemed to glow with happiness, lighting up her features more than any psychical light could do. Finally he no longer had control over his rage and jealousy. He had given Seyumi just as much affection as Kurama, hadn't he? Why couldn't she have given him a chance? Why was it that he was with her when she needed most help but she still preferred Kurama? Where had he, Hiei, gone wrong? His Spirit Energy mounted higher and higher as his mind rolled over each troubling thought.  
"Hiei, is something wrong?" Kurama asked, turning to him, sensing the raise in his friend's energy.  
"I . . .I challenge you to a match. A Match of Ownership. I know that you understand how these work."  
"Of course I do, but--"  
"Good, then I don't have to explain to you. Instead of territory, we will fight for Seyumi. And yes, all rules will apply."  
"Then the victor must decimate the other."  
"You understand, then. I give you a day to regain your energy." Hiei stormed out with a neutral look, betraying no emotion on his face.  
"What's the match of ownership?" Seyumi asked tentatively.  
Kurama sighed wearily. "In the wild. . .you're familiar with animals fighting over territory and mates, I presume?"  
Seyumi nodded.  
"The Match of Ownership is the official name for it. Hiei has challenged me to one." He looked at her. "You are the object of the match. Death comes to he who doesn't triumph."  
"You two are going to fight over me?! And one of you has to die!"  
"Unfortunately, yes."  
"Can't you refuse."  
"I could but then Hiei must kill me. I cannot defend myself as he does so. If I do not refuse, then both of us can have an equal try at owning you. I don't want Hiei to have you without a decent fight." He noticed Seyumi's eyebrow rise at the mention of being owned. "Yes, you technically will belong to whoever will win, but I highly doubt either of us will treat you as an object."  
"But I don't want anyone to die over me. . .again."  
"This time we don't have a choice."  
"But why do you have to fight?"  
Kurama lovingly stroked her cheeks. "I care for you. That's why I'm agreeing to this. Hiei also admitted his love for you at the tower."  
Seyumi's eyes widened. "He did?"  
Kurama nodded.  
  
"I love him too, but in a different way."  
"What way is that?"  
"I can't really explain it." She looked up at Kurama. "I know the two of you are really close. I don't want to ruin the bond."  
"I'm unsure if we even have a bond. Any bond he makes will be very strong despite anything but the bond between him and I isn't very stable." Kurama stood. "Now you get yourself cleaned up. I'll help." He helped her get some clean clothes and drew her bath. He left her to clean herself up.  
Seyumi made her way back and collapsed onto the bed beside Kurama who had already made the bed. "I feel so weak."  
"It's to be expected." Kurama took a brush to her rapidly drying hair. He liked the way her hair shined in the light and how it felt against his face and hands. He took her more fully into his arms and ran his fingers along the scars on her arms from her fight at Jirime's tower. He kissed her passionately.  
"Don't you have to conserve your energy."  
A shadow passed over him briefly. "Yes. . .I must tell you something. Neither Hiei nor I are to speak to you or anything until the match. When we decide on the time and location, we will send some sort of message." He kissed her one last time on the lips and lingered for a moment. "I'll see you then." He walked out without a glance back. ~~~*  
Two days later, a knock came on the front do of Kurama's inherited house. Seyumi opened it and found Kuwabara and Yusuke. "Oh. What can I help with?"  
"Hiei and Kurama asked us to take you somewhere," Yusuke began.  
"Well, it was more like Kurama asked and Hiei threatened." Kuwabara sensed the weakness of her energy. "You sick?"  
"No, not really."  
"Come one. You can lean on me if you want," Yusuke offered.  
  
~~~*  
  
Kuwabara and Yusuke left after leading Seyumi to the edge of a forest. Kurama and Hiei stood a distant away from each other.  
"We're able to speak to one another now," Kurama replied in a would- be-cheerful voice. He smiled but Seyumi caught the grim expression hidden behind his eyes.  
They took her deeper into the forest and into a clearing. "The humans won't find us here," Hiei said.  
"So do I just watch you massacre one another?" Seyumi asked slowly.  
"Technically there will be no massacre since to be one, there must be a mass murder. I highly doubt the two of us will do much damage since we know each other's strength and weaknesses.  
"Don't get technical," Hiei snapped. "Let's get on this."  
  
Hiei drew his katana and threw the cloak Yukina gave him to the ground. Kurama held his rose in front of his face and sharply flicked it down to the right by his side, turning it into a rose whip. They bowed respectfully and glared at one another. "Younger less experienced ones first," Kurama commanded.  
Hiei attacked head-on with lighting fast moves. Kurama leaped back to make room between the two and drew his rose whip up to block every attack. He quickly calculated in his mind where each move would go to, knowing Hiei's tactics, and was able to block everything. Hiei moved with trademark speed, occasionally flipping into the air and dodging away to confuse Kurama. Naturally, the fox wasn't confused and was able to score a minor hit on the demon.  
The fire demon leaped gracefully into the air, twisting his body to dodge the flurry of the rose whip. The thorns grazed his skin as he turned his body midair to make his attack become more of a nosedive with his katana held in front of him to dive down on Kurama's neck. The fox wasn't able to match the demon's speed. He held up his left arm to block it and felt the metal make contact with the bones in his arm. He winced and flicked the rose whip at Hiei's exposed body. Hiei pulled the katana out of the sanctity of Kurama's arm, feeling familiar pleasure of watching blood spill at the liberty of his own hands.  
"Hn. I figured that you would bring your dominant arm to block at the least. Too bad I didn't injure you mortally."  
"You as well. Any normal human would have been gutted by that maneuver. You allowed your body to be exposed."  
Hiei touched his wounds tenderly, not really caring. "Try to dodge this." He raised his hand to summon the dragon of the Darkness Flame.  
"You do realize that once you execute that move, you will no longer have any energy left to attack."  
"You'll be long gone before you can do anything."  
"Hiei, I beg you to use your mind on this!"  
"I am using my mind. Keep talking so I can kill you." He aimed his hand at Kurama. His white headband burned off as his Jagan came to life to help handle the access energy. He let the dragon fly towards the fox.  
Kurama didn't bother to move out of the way but flicked his rose whip at it.  
"Fool! You can't kill it!"  
"I know," Kurama said in a too calm voice.  
  
Hiei cried out from a sharp pain in his arm. He fell to his knees and heard the sound of flames lapping at wood. The trees behind Kurama were burnt to ashes.  
"Hiei, you allowed your heart to guide you and ignored the teachings your mind tried to offer. Fighting isn't merely about the heart or only of the mind. Both the mind and heart must rule as one. Then and only then can your attacks and maneuvers be indestructible." His emerald eyes burned with an intensity that made Hiei freeze.  
"Hn."  
"You weren't fighting your best," Kurama said with a sigh. "And I must admit, neither have I. I was reluctant to land a blow. You would have been killed if I hadn't been so soft. It is a weakness, as many have said, but killing you. . ." He looked down at the fire demon sadly. "Your Spirit Energy is nearly diminished."  
"No," Hiei spat.  
The emerald eyes studied him. "Then stand so that we may be able to continue."  
Hiei tried to stand but failed. He fell back down and scowled at Kurama, feeling his cheeks burn with shame of his defeat.  
"See, you are unable to stand. It seems that I have won."  
"I don't give a damn any more! Just hurry up and kill me!"  
"I will grant a final request."  
"Why can't you hurry the fuck up?!"  
"Perhaps I'm trying to find the will to kill you."  
"Fine. I want to know how you avoided my attack."  
"In the split second in which you summon the dragon, your hand burns when the it erupts from your baited energy. I channeled my Spirit Energy to my rose whip so it wouldn't be destroyed as it passed through the dragon. I hit your burned hand, making your attack become directed above me so I could dodge it easily."  
Hiei's eyes were wide. "You make it sound so simple!" He closed his eyes and shook his head. "It was obvious you would come up with something."  
Kurama picked up Hiei's katana with his right hand and pushed Hiei against a tree with his injured arm. "I'll make this quick and easy."  
"Tell Yukina that I love her and make up some story to make it look like I didn't die."  
"I will do that." Kurama gripped the katana and raised it. He prepared to plunge it through Hiei's heart in a clean, painless blow. "You will be missed."  
Hiei bowed his head. He was glad death would come to him. This way, he wouldn't have to live with the pain of seeing Seyumi in Kurama's arms.  
Kurama's jaw was set and his face was pale as the katana plunged down.  
  
~*~*~TSUZUKU~*~*~ 


	21. Heartbreak

~~HEARTBREAK~~  
  
"No!" Seyumi cried out. She grabbed Kurama's arm and stopped him from completing the move. Yukina had done the same to Hiei when he tried to slug Torukane after torturing her for her tear-jewels. The blade was less than an inch from Hiei's muscled and scratched chest.  
"I thought you understood!" Kurama exclaimed, not loosening his grip on the katana.  
Seyumi clung to his arm, feeling weak again from having pushed herself to keep Hiei from dying. "I do understand but I can't stand him to die. You know that I don't want to go through him dying after . . .after what happened to Toshi and everyone else."  
"You don't understand," Hiei said flatly. "I want him to do this. My existence is paltry."  
"No, it's not. You can't mean that. There's something more to this," Seyumi replied thoughtfully and slowly released Kurama's arm. She looked thoughtfully at Hiei who looked back at her in quiet amazement.  
"I do mean it," he insisted stubbornly.  
"Shh. Be quiet so I can think." She pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. Hiei stopped talking immediately. "I think I have it," Seyumi said at last.  
"What is it?" Kurama asked, lowering the katana and lowering his body to a sitting position.  
"These fights . . .the same species are supposed to be fighting, right?"  
"I suppose so. Yes."  
"And both of you agreed to have all rules apply.  
"So what?" Hiei said.  
"If you look at it, none of us are truly of the same species. Kurama, you're a fox spirit, Hiei, you're a fire demon, and I'm half a fire demon, half water apparition."  
"Yeah, but technically we're all demons," Hiei said.  
"But in all historic accounts, only full breeds have fought. It seems that she has found a loop hole!"  
Hiei winced at the pain in his arm as he moved to lean more fully on the tree he was against. Seyumi looked at his arm and understood instantly. "The Dragon of the Darkness Flame technique?" she murmured as if in deep thought. She touched his arm, watching Hiei wince again at her touch as she used what little Spirit Energy she had to heal the burn. She took the onyx ring off her finger and held it up. "I rarely take this off, but I'm giving it to you."  
"But-"  
Seyumi took his hand and turned it palm up, placing the ring in his palm. The ring flashed faintly and seemed to expand. She took the ring and put it on his finger. The ring fit perfectly. Hiei was surprised to find that the ring fit on his finger after it had been on Seyumi's slender fingers. "There's something special about onyx ore," Seyumi explained. "When made into a ring and an owner is chosen, the ring won't fit anyone else. Only if the owner gives the ring to a loved one will the ring fit another and will pass its powers on."  
Kurama's face fell. Had he gone through this just to be denied by this beautiful angel before him? Only Hiei noticed the look on his face and felt his heart lighten. Seyumi kissed Hiei lightly on the cheek. "I do love you and I care about you but my true heart lies with Kurama. I mean . . .it isn't just because he won the match but-"  
Hiei sighed. He knew what was coming and he didn't want to hear a drawn out explanation of what he had already known and had denied. "I know. You don't have to explain it to me." He changed the subject so he wouldn't have to think of the future. "So, this ring . . . why did you give this to me?"  
"For many reasons, but I'll give you one. Your technique hurts you. I can help you control the Dragon enough to not burn yourself. When you bait the dragon with your energy, channel that summoned energy into the ring. You'll feel it heat up. Once the Dragon is released to attack, the ring will absorb the damage. The most you'll feel is heat."  
"What about you? What are you going to do when you need to defend yourself with it?"  
"I have another that my mother gave me."  
  
They sat in silence for a while. "Now what?" Seyumi asked sheepishly.  
"There is one thing we need to do. If you can stand, please do so," Kurama said, standing himself.  
Seyumi stood up. Kurama held his good hand out to her with his palm turned upward. "Take my hand."  
She obliged and looked nervously into his eyes.  
"Seyumi, I pledge my life to you," Kurama began. "With this pledge, I offer my devotion, perpetual love, mind, body and soul."  
"I accept all and return everything. I pledge my life to you as well."  
Kurama smiled. "I accept it." He brought her hand to his lips with a small bow. "Now to seal out little pact," he added, a devilish look spread across his face, which was something very rare to see on the face of the fox.  
"W-what?" Seyumi backed away involuntarily.  
"Seal it," Kurama repeated, purring suggestively in her ear and kissing her slender neck. "Don't you understand?"  
"No I don't," Seyumi insisted honestly, feeling her skin tingle at his angel-like touch.  
Kurama chortled and ran his fingers lovingly through her long hair. "You are such an eccentric creature." He wrapped her in a one-armed embrace to support her, knowing how weak she was. He bent his head and met her lips with such a deep passion and love that Seyumi had never before sensed in her life. She parted her lips, allowing the kiss to become more intimate. She clung to his neck and stroked the scarlet hair of the fox.  
Hiei had long since looked away form the two. Tears of anger and shame at himself stung at his crimson eyes. He brushed them away in disbelief. How could he be so weak minded?! He was allowing worthless human emotions get the better of him. To keep his eyes from wandering to Seyumi and Kurama, he fiddled with the onyx ring, admiring the glossy black color.  
Seyumi easily felt the pain that the fire demon felt in his heart. She felt the pain welling up in her own heart, hurting her as well. She leaned against Kurama, feeling weak again. Kurama looked at her apologetically. "Forgive me, I should not have forced you to stand."  
"Hiei, it's not your fault," Seyumi murmured.  
"What?" Hiei demanded.  
"Your pain . . .it's my own fault for causing it. If I hadn't been so selfish . . . .I shouldn't have let you kiss me when we first met. I should've stopped this at its source."  
Hiei smiled weakly. "Nothing you could do would keep me from you. Even though Kurama technically owns you, he can't stop me from keeping guard over you when he's absent. This is why I wanted him to kill me. It would cause less of a hassle between you two."  
Tears filled Seyumi's eyes for some odd reason. There was no stopping them. This hurt Hiei more. Seyumi was one of the lucky few people who could cry and still look incredibly beautiful. She hugged Hiei lightly. "I'm sorry for everything," she murmured.  
"You didn't do anything." Hiei reluctantly stood and put his cloak on. "I only want you to be happy, even if I can't provide your happiness." He fixed his gaze on Kurama. "Treat her well. The rules state that you own her, but don't treat her as an object. Do this and you'll be sorry. I know my mistakes now and I won't make them again."  
"I'm not going to treat as an object!" Kurama sputtered.  
"Hn. We'll see."  
"Hiei, I know you're not particularly found of Akino but she's grown attached to Yukina while I was sick. I want her to keep it. If you have a problem, I'm sure we could--" Seyumi said suddenly.  
"I don't mind. It can keep her company while I'm away on training and other things." He forced a smile. "Why don't you two run along? Tell everyone the good news." He surprised himself to find the bitterness he felt wasn't audible in his words.  
"You'll still be around, won't you?"  
"Sure, why not."  
Seyumi beamed at him. "Good. I'd like that." She allowed Kurama pull her to her feet and into her arms where he could support her.  
"Come on, then. I need to get this hole in my arm patched up."  
Seyumi healed his arm and instantly felt dizzy. Kurama looked worriedly at her. "Don't waste your energy. It wouldn't be wise for you to perish at this moment."  
"I couldn't even begin to dream of dying. Not now. I now have something in my life that won't make me feel miserable." She hugged Kurama tightly.  
They walked home together, leaving Hiei in the woods. This was what the fire demon wanted. He could have walked with them but right now, he needed to vent out his anger. Maybe even cry if it was that bad. No one was here to know or bother him.  
  
~~~*  
  
"DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME!"  
  
He didn't even try to control the ancient dragon. He didn't care to and didn't want to. He winced at the pain in his now burned arm. He didn't mind. This was how it was going to be. The end was inevitable. The future was going to be full of pain. He wrapped his arm up after soaking it in the freezing water of the river he had found himself by, relishing the pain. Perhaps the pain would negate the one from his broken heart. Hopefully . . .  
  
~~~*  
  
"Kurama, you never told me about your past. How is it that Youko is an alleged killer and he's your demon form? How can you control him?"  
The two were stretched out in the bed in the master bedroom. They watched the sunset from the bedroom window, which showed a perfect view of the ocean and the town. Seyumi lay her head on Kurama's chest, listening to his heartbeat and feeling the rise and fall as he breathed.  
"Let's start at the beginning. It's pretty long, though. Are you sure you want to hear it?"  
"Yes. You know my past, I want to know yours."  
Kurama smiled and stroked her hair. "Very well then. It all began when I was a fox-a demon fox. My name, Youko, was derived from my specie name: Kyubi-no-youko . . ."  
  
~*~*~TSUZUKU~*~*~  
  
A/N: Thank you everyone for reviewing! I'm afraid to tell you, but the next chapter will be the last one in this story. * sniff * I worked on this story for over a year and only put it up a few months ago. I wrote this to introduce Seyumi who would be in later stories so since this story is nearly finished, I've started writing a sort of sequel to this story. It shows what happens to Hiei later on to see if he's found someone or if he's managed to break Seyumi and Kurama apart to claim her. Would anyone like a sequel? I'll make the chapters shorter and easier to read! Okay, I've typed long enough. Please please review! 


	22. Epilogue

            **EPILOGUE**

I lost.  I lost what seemed the most important battle of my life, but part of me is satisfied to know that Seyumi is content, even though she isn't to be a more serious aspect of my life.

I look down at my bandaged arm, feeling my scorched flesh twinge with pain with the smallest of movements.  Why do I enjoy this pain?  Perhaps there is something in my mind that is feeding off of it to rid the one that is more competent.

Watching the two walk away arm in arm gives me a sickening feeling in my heart.  I cannot kill one nor the other since I own both of them the worthless life of this simple fool.  

Hn.  It must be destiny.  I, Hiei, am destined to forever the Forgotten Child. . .the Abandoned Child.  Happiness is merely a forlorn hope as well as finding a girl like Seyumi who can make me at ease.  Some one who will return the devotion that I would given them.

Heh. . .I highly doubt it but perhaps my time has yet to come. Perhaps there is someone that will give me a purpose to live.  I walk out of the forest.  I learned a valuable lesson from this:

                                    Destiny sucks ass.

            **OWARI**

**A/N:**_  Yes, this story is officially over.  I decided to update this sooner than I wanted to but this means that by next week I can post the sequel to this.  Check my bio for information on it since I haven't found a good title for it yet.  Yes, there will be a sequel and I'll make the chapters shorter and less boring.  I'll make Hiei less OOC since he seemed too gushy in this one, even though it was pretty good for my first fanfic!  Thank you everyone who have reviewed!_


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